Topic: Terry George

Terry George (born December 20, 1952) is an Irish screenwriter and director. Born and raised in Belfast, Northern Ireland much of his film work (e.g. The Boxer, Some Mother's Son, and In the Name of the Father) involves the Troubles in Northern Ireland. He has been nominated for two Oscars; Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium in 1993 for In the Name of the Father and Best Writing, Original Screenplay for Hotel Rwanda in 2004.

George was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland and moved to New York City, New York, United States in 1981. In 1985, he made his American stage debut as playwright of The Tunnel, a drama based on a prison escape from Long Kesh prison camp in Northern Ireland. Also that year, he had his first collaboration with Jim Sheridan, who directed and starred. A year later he researched the non-fiction book The Pizza Connection with Shana Alexander. In 1993, he made his debut as screenwriter and assistant director with In the Name of the Father, starring Daniel Day-Lewis, and directed and co-written by Jim Sheridan. The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards including best adapted screenplay for George and Sheridan. He directed and scripted the film Some Mother's Son, starring Helen Mirren and Fionnula Flanagan, for which he was named Young European Director of the Year, in 1996. From 2000 until 2004, George served as executive producer and co-creator of the CBS fall drama The District with Craig T. Nelson, David O'Hara and Lynne Thigpen. Along with Billy Ray, he received screenplay credit for the World War II drama Hart's War in 2002. He earned his second Academy Award nomination in 2004 for directing, producing and co-writing Hotel Rwanda, which starred Don Cheadle and Sophie Okonedo. The film received four Academy award nominations, including best original screenplay for George. Along with fellow film writer, William Monahan, and famed musician, Van Morrison, Terry George was honored at the second annual "Oscar Wilde: Honoring Irish Writing in Film", held at the Ebell Wilshire in Los Angeles, California on February 22, 2007. Later that year, he directed Reservation Road, starring Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Ruffalo, and Academy Award winning actresses Jennifer Connelly and Mira Sorvino.