Cornelia Duryée

Cornelia has had a long and prosperous career in the arts, in various incarnations, but it was her relationship with Madeleine L'Engle that led the former playwright and stage director into the world of film. L'Engle (well-known writer of works such as A Wrinkle in Time and the Austin Family series), Cornelia's Godmother and mentor, invited her to adapt several of her novels and plays for the screen. With Madeleine's encouragement, Cornelia adapted two of Madeleine's novels: Camilla Dickinson and Love Letters of a Portuguese Nun. The latter was a finalist in the First Glance Screenplay Competition, a semi-finalist at Slamdance, and has received numerous other accolades. In 2019, Cornelia and the Kairos team are in production on two short films and a feature; to be filmed, if all goes well, this year. In the 2018, Cornelia directed Language Arts, starring Ashley Zukerman, Sarah Shahi, Pamela Reed, Erin Cummings, Mariana Klaveno, Kevin Alejandro, Jane Ryan, Elliott Smith, Lincoln Lambert, and many many more. In 2017, Cornelia directed Alt, starring Elise Eberle, Sloane Morgan Siegel, Carol Roscoe, Brian S. Lewis, Matt Shimkus, Denny McAuliffe, and Shaunyce Omar; a light-hearted science-fiction feature film, in post-production, and soon to begin its round of film festivals. In 2015 Cornelia directed West of Redemption, starring Billy Zane, Kevin Alejandro, and Mariana Klaveno; a tense, award-winning thriller, which won the Best Feature award at the Jefferson State FlixxFest, Best Dramatic Direction at Eugene FF, and Staff Pick Award at Manchester FF, among many others. It continues to make the rounds of ongoing film festivals. In 2012 Cornelia directed Camilla Dickinson, with a cast including Adelaide Clemens, Cary Elwes, Samantha Mathis, and Gregg Sulkin. The film garnered critical success, winning, among others, the 2012 Best Narrative Feature and 2012 Best Director awards from the Women's Independent Film Festival, as well as the Best Narrative Feature award from the Eugene International Film Festival. It's available on Amazon, Youtube, and iTunes. In 2006 Cornelia wrote and directed The Dark Horse, which premiered at the Seattle International Film Festival and went on to win Best Feature Drama at the International Family Film Festival, among other awards. It is available on Amazon. Cornelia co-founded Seattle Shakespeare Company, directed there, and served as its casting director for seven years. A classically-trained actor/director, she directed stage plays for twenty years before moving behind the camera. Her enjoyment of filmmaking extends into the realm of production, where she served as Executive Producer for cult favorite JourneyQuest Season 1, a producer of JourneyQuest Season 2, and as a casting director for The Gamers: Dorkness Rising, as well as many other productions. Cornelia is in the process of writing and developing numerous projects for Kairos.