India Donaldson (born 1984 or 1985) is an American filmmaker best known for the 2024 film Good One.
Early life
India is the daughter of Mel Clark and director Roger Donaldson; she gained exposure to the film industry at an early age.23 Her parents divorced when she was a child. She attended Santa Monica High School and Vassar College, where she majored in English.45
Career
Prior to becoming a filmmaker, Donaldson worked in the textile industry.6 Her directorial debut, the 2018 short film Medusa, was followed by the short films Hannahs and If Found in 2019 and 2021, respectively.789
Donaldson presented her feature-length debut Good One as a work-in-progress at the 2023 American Film Festival in Wrocław, where she was awarded a $50,000 prize to support the project's post-production in Poland.10 The completed film screened at 2024 Sundance Film Festival and the Directors' Fortnight section of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, where it was eligible for the Camera d'Or.1112 The film later won the Grand Jury Prize for Best American Independent Feature Film at that year's Champs-Élysées Film Festival.13
Personal life
Donaldson resided in New York for ten years. Shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic, she and her husband moved to Los Angeles, where they currently reside.1415 The couple lived with India's father, his third wife, and their two teenage children during the COVID-19 lockdowns. India's experiences living with her young half-siblings inspired the plot of Good One.16 Around this time, her first son was born.17
Filmography
| Year | Title | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Medusa | Short film | 18 |
| 2019 | Hannahs | Short film | 19 |
| 2021 | If Found | Short film | 20 |
| 2024 | Good One | Feature film | 21 |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Eastern Oregon Film Festival | Spirit of EOFF Ethos Award | Hannahs | Won | 22 |
| 2020 | Monmouth Film Festival | Best Narrative Short Film | Won | 23 | |
| 2024 | Sundance Film Festival | U.S. Dramatic | Good One | Nominated | 24 |
| Cannes Film Festival | Directors' Fortnight | Nominated | 25 | ||
| Camera d'Or | Nominated | 26 | |||
| Champs-Élysées Film Festival | Grand Jury Prize for Best American Independent Feature Film | Won | 27 |
External links
References
Spicer, Lucy. "Give Me the Backstory: Get to Know India Donaldson, the Filmmaker Behind "Good One"". Sundance. Retrieved 24 May 2024. https://www.sundance.org/blogs/give-me-the-backstory-get-to-know-india-donaldson-the-filmmaker-behind-good-one/ ↩
Spicer, Lucy. "Give Me the Backstory: Get to Know India Donaldson, the Filmmaker Behind "Good One"". Sundance. Retrieved 24 May 2024. https://www.sundance.org/blogs/give-me-the-backstory-get-to-know-india-donaldson-the-filmmaker-behind-good-one/ ↩
Corry, Dominic. "The 2024 films we're looking forward to from Aotearoa New Zealand". Flicks. Retrieved 24 May 2024. https://www.flicks.co.nz/features/the-films-were-looking-forward-to-in-2024-from-aotearoa-new-zealand/ ↩
Grieron, Tim. "India Donaldson grew up around Hollywood A-listers. Now she's cutting her own path". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 8 August 2024. https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2024-08-06/director-india-donaldson-cuts-her-own-path-good-one ↩
Feldberg, Isaac (6 August 2024). "On the Trail: India Donaldson on Good One". Roger Ebert. Retrieved 8 August 2024. https://www.rogerebert.com/interviews/india-donaldson-good-one-interview ↩
Spicer, Lucy. "Give Me the Backstory: Get to Know India Donaldson, the Filmmaker Behind "Good One"". Sundance. Retrieved 24 May 2024. https://www.sundance.org/blogs/give-me-the-backstory-get-to-know-india-donaldson-the-filmmaker-behind-good-one/ ↩
"Medusa". India Donaldson. Retrieved 24 May 2024. https://indiadonaldson.com/films/medusa ↩
"Hannahs Screenings". India Donaldson. Retrieved 24 May 2024. https://indiadonaldson.com/films/hannahs/screenings ↩
"If Found Screenings". India Donaldson. Retrieved 24 May 2024. https://indiadonaldson.com/films/if-found/screenings ↩
Balaga, Marta. "India Donaldson Picks Up Polish Film Institute Award for 'Good One' at American Film Festival, Reflects on the 'Price of Obedience'". Variety. Retrieved 24 May 2024. https://ca.news.yahoo.com/india-donaldson-picks-polish-film-222423432.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAHegC-mcYpJf8BWlp3hdywI7T6gIfySKxuJlxBpbLPeDPBmM1QZq-Oavo5nU9Kh1FWu3-Dl-nHz0wi2JsrtSzn0kU4Eyxjxy1B-oAxvSlFPZGwH1PrIZnpsVNI4R3Xrsx_ZXFQJdvN-qv-L5tNM6Us038nrQecFeBkRugbdtmqvE ↩
Lattanzio, Ryan (8 May 2024). "'Good One' Trailer: The Sundance Coming-of-Age Favorite Is Now Destined for Cannes". IndieWire. Retrieved 24 May 2024. https://www.indiewire.com/news/trailers/good-one-trailer-india-donaldson-1235001869/ ↩
"The 2024 Caméra d'or: who are the contenders?". Cannes Film Festival. 8 May 2024. Retrieved 24 May 2024. https://cinemadedemain.festival-cannes.com/en/2024/the-2024-camera-dor-who-are-the-contenders ↩
"The winners of the Champs-Élysées Film Festival 2024". Sortir a Paris. Retrieved 8 August 2024. https://www.sortiraparis.com/en/what-to-do-in-paris/cinema-series/guides/51735-the-winners-of-the-champs-elysees-film-festival-2024 ↩
Grieron, Tim. "India Donaldson grew up around Hollywood A-listers. Now she's cutting her own path". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 8 August 2024. https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2024-08-06/director-india-donaldson-cuts-her-own-path-good-one ↩
Balaga, Marta. "India Donaldson Picks Up Polish Film Institute Award for 'Good One' at American Film Festival, Reflects on the 'Price of Obedience'". Variety. Retrieved 24 May 2024. https://ca.news.yahoo.com/india-donaldson-picks-polish-film-222423432.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAHegC-mcYpJf8BWlp3hdywI7T6gIfySKxuJlxBpbLPeDPBmM1QZq-Oavo5nU9Kh1FWu3-Dl-nHz0wi2JsrtSzn0kU4Eyxjxy1B-oAxvSlFPZGwH1PrIZnpsVNI4R3Xrsx_ZXFQJdvN-qv-L5tNM6Us038nrQecFeBkRugbdtmqvE ↩
Grieron, Tim. "India Donaldson grew up around Hollywood A-listers. Now she's cutting her own path". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 8 August 2024. https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2024-08-06/director-india-donaldson-cuts-her-own-path-good-one ↩
Feldberg, Isaac (6 August 2024). "On the Trail: India Donaldson on Good One". Roger Ebert. Retrieved 8 August 2024. https://www.rogerebert.com/interviews/india-donaldson-good-one-interview ↩
"Medusa". India Donaldson. Retrieved 24 May 2024. https://indiadonaldson.com/films/medusa ↩
"Hannahs Screenings". India Donaldson. Retrieved 24 May 2024. https://indiadonaldson.com/films/hannahs/screenings ↩
"If Found Screenings". India Donaldson. Retrieved 24 May 2024. https://indiadonaldson.com/films/if-found/screenings ↩
Lattanzio, Ryan (8 May 2024). "'Good One' Trailer: The Sundance Coming-of-Age Favorite Is Now Destined for Cannes". IndieWire. Retrieved 24 May 2024. https://www.indiewire.com/news/trailers/good-one-trailer-india-donaldson-1235001869/ ↩
"Hannahs Screenings". India Donaldson. Retrieved 24 May 2024. https://indiadonaldson.com/films/hannahs/screenings ↩
"Hannahs Screenings". India Donaldson. Retrieved 24 May 2024. https://indiadonaldson.com/films/hannahs/screenings ↩
Welk, Brian (13 February 2024). "Sundance 2024 Sales: India Donaldson's 'Good One' Sells to Metrograph Pictures". Indiewire. Retrieved 24 May 2024. https://www.indiewire.com/news/festivals/sundance-2024-film-festival-acquistions-1234940243/ ↩
Lattanzio, Ryan (8 May 2024). "'Good One' Trailer: The Sundance Coming-of-Age Favorite Is Now Destined for Cannes". IndieWire. Retrieved 24 May 2024. https://www.indiewire.com/news/trailers/good-one-trailer-india-donaldson-1235001869/ ↩
"The 2024 Caméra d'or: who are the contenders?". Cannes Film Festival. 8 May 2024. Retrieved 24 May 2024. https://cinemadedemain.festival-cannes.com/en/2024/the-2024-camera-dor-who-are-the-contenders ↩
"The winners of the Champs-Élysées Film Festival 2024". Sortir a Paris. Retrieved 8 August 2024. https://www.sortiraparis.com/en/what-to-do-in-paris/cinema-series/guides/51735-the-winners-of-the-champs-elysees-film-festival-2024 ↩