Steven Soderbergh

Steven Soderbergh was born in Georgia but raised primarily in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. At the age of 13 he began making films, moving to Los Angeles after High School and then returning to Baton Rouge to shoot short films and write screenplays. In 1988 he made his feature film directorial debut with Sex, Lies and Videotape (a film which he also wrote) and starred Andie MacDowell, James Spader, Peter Gallagher and Laura San Giacomo. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 1989 and later that year he became the youngest ever director to win the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival for the film.
Steven followed Sex, Lies and Videotape with Kafka (1991), King of the Hill (1993) and The Underneath (1995) which saw him reunite with Peter Gallagher (sex, lies and videotape). He then wrote, directed and starred in Schizopolis (1997) and directed Gray's Anatomy (1997).
In 1998 Steven found success with Out Of Sight, starring George Clooney who went on to form a production company with Steven (Section Eight Pictures). The Limey followed Out Of Sight in 1999 and then in 2000 Erin Brockovich and Traffic were released, earning him twin Oscar® nominations for Best Director. In 2001 Steven reunited with George Clooney and Julia Roberts (amongst others) to film Ocean's Eleven, a re-make of the original Rat-Pack movie, and Full Frontal (starring Julia Roberts and David Duchovny) is released in America on March 8, 2002.
As well as directing Steven has produced films such as Pleasantville, Insomnia and Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind. He wrote Nightwatch (starring Patricia Arquette and Ewan McGregor) and was the cinematographer on Traffic and Ocean's Eleven.
Awards: In 1989 Steven became the youngest winner ever of the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival for his feature film directorial debut sex, lies, and videotape. Most recently he became the first director since 1939 to receive double nominations for Best Director at the 2001 Academy Awards® for Erin Brockovich and Traffic. He took home the Oscar® for Traffic.

-www.stevensoderbergh.net