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Lisa Cholodenko

Writer and director Lisa Cholodenko had the innate talent to draw out deft and touching performances from her actors, whether it was as a drug-addicted photographer in an explosive relationship with a journalist or a lesbian couple dealing with a sperm donor who has suddenly come into their children's lives. Cholodenko's body of work often featured a strong female lead, from Ally Sheedy's riveting portrayal of a heroin junkie in "High Art" (1998) to Annette Bening playing a mother of two confronted with her family's complicated history in "The Kids Are All Right" (2010). Steering clear of sappy and apologetic Hollywood endings, Cholodenko never played it safe when it came to telling stories of flawed, hilarious, and affecting characters whose lives mirrored those of her audience, and in doing so, was regarded as one of the most exciting and poignant filmmakers of her time.