Christine Jeffs

Christine Jeffs entered the film industry working in post-production sound. She became an assistant editor and worked on several features, including Melanie Reid's Send a Gorilla, Gaylene Preston's Ruby and Rata and Alison Maclean's Crush. 

In 1990, Jeffs completed a diploma in editing at the Australian Film, Television and Radio School and after graduation she began writing and directing her own material. Jeffs' 1993 short film, Stroke, a wordless mini-epic spinning off one woman in a swimming pool, was invited to numerous international film festivals, including Cannes and Sundance.

Jeffs went on to receive a Bronze Lion in Cannes for her work in commercials. In 1999 Admedia named her the New Zealand Advertising Industry's most popular director.

Her debut feature, Rain (adapted by Jeffs from Kirsty Gunn's coming of age novel), premiered at the prestigious Cannes Directors Fortnight. Part coming-of-age tale, part portrait of a disatisfied married woman, Rain won enthused reviews from North and South, The New York Times, NY Daily News, and the Los Angeles Times, plus awards for actor Sarah Peirse.

American showbusiness magazine Variety named Jeffs on its annual '10 Directors to Watch' list, and Variety reviewer David Rooney praised the film as an "evocative mood piece, enriched by gorgeous visuals" which communicated a powerful sense of time, place and atmosphere.

Rain's widespread critical praise brought Jeffs' directing talents to the attention of actor Gywneth Paltrow. Paltrow hired Jeffs to direct the feature Sylvia, about the troubled relationship between poets Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes.

Partly shot in Otago (once again by Jeffs partner, cinematographer John Toon), Sylvia received luke-warm reviews (unavoidably dominated by comparisons with the real-life subject matter). But there was general acknowledgement of Jeffs' grasp of the story's emotions, and it represented a sure first step on the international filmmaking ladder.

Jeffs completed her third feature in 2008, an off-beat comedy shot in New Mexico. Sunshine Cleaning stars actors du jour Amy Adams and Emily Blunt (as crime scene cleaning sisters) and Alan Arkin. It also shares some of the same producing team as indie hit Little Miss Sunshine. Sunshine screened in competition at the 2008 Sundance Festival.

Currently Jeffs is developing romantic comedy Wonderful Tonight, which "picks up where Knocked Up left off" and longtime passion project Horse Heaven, an adaptation of Jane Smiley's novel set in the racehorse world.