Laura Mora Ortega (born 1981) is a Colombian director and screenwriter. She is best known for writing and directing the films Killing Jesus (2017) and The Kings of the World (2022), the latter of which won the Golden Shell at the 70th San Sebastián International Film Festival.

Early life

Mora was born in Medellín. Her grandfather was one of the founders of the Medellín Metropolitan Theatre. She developed a love for film after watching Rodrigo D: No Future at the age of 13.

Her father, a lawyer, was killed by a hitman in 2002. Following his death, Mora moved to Australia to study film at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology.

Career

In 2012, she co-directed the television series Pablo Escobar, The Drug Lord. She directed her debut feature film, Killing Jesus, in March 2016.

Her 2022 film, The Kings of the World, won the Golden Shell at the 70th San Sebastián International Film Festival. It was also selected as Colombia's submission for Best International Feature Film at the 95th Academy Awards. She co-directed the Netflix series One Hundred Years of Solitude, based on the novel of the same name by Gabriel García Márquez.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleDirectorWriter
2015Antes del fuego[es]YesNo
2016Código Origen[cy]YesNo
2017Killing JesusYesYes
2022The Kings of the WorldYesYes

Television

YearTitleDirectorWriterNotes
2012Pablo Escobar, The Drug LordYesNo83 episodes
2015Los hombres también lloranYesNo31 episodes
2019Green FrontierYesNo4 episodes
2024One Hundred Years of SolitudeYesNo3 episodes

Awards and nominations

AwardYearCategoryNominated workResultRef.
Ariel Awards2023Best Ibero-American FilmThe Kings of the WorldNominated
Cairo International Film Festival2017Golden PyramidKilling JesusNominated
Silver PyramidWon
FIPRESCI PrizeWon
Cartagena Film Festival2018Audience AwardKilling JesusWon
Colombian Cinema AwardNominated
Chicago International Film Festival2017Gold HugoKilling JesusNominated
Roger Ebert AwardWon
2022Gold HugoThe Kings of the WorldNominated
Chlotrudis Awards2024Best DirectorThe Kings of the WorldNominated
Fénix Awards2018Best DirectorKilling JesusNominated
Best ScreenplayWon
Films from the South2022Silver MirrorThe Kings of the WorldNominated
Gasparilla International Film Festival2018Best International FeatureKilling JesusWon
Huelva Ibero-American Film Festival2017Best New DirectorKilling JesusNominated
Macondo Awards2018Best FilmKilling JesusWon
Best DirectorWon
Best ScreenplayWon
2023Best DirectorThe Kings of the WorldWon
Best ScreenplayNominated
Motovun Film Festival2018Best FilmKilling JesusWon
Munich Film Festival2023Best International FilmThe Kings of the WorldNominated
Palm Springs International Film Festival2018New Voices/New Visions Grand Jury PrizeKilling JesusNominated
Cine Latino AwardWon
San Sebastián International Film Festival2017New Directors AwardKilling JesusNominated
SIGNIS AwardNominated
EROKSI Youth AwardWon
Fedeora AwardWon
2022Golden ShellThe Kings of the WorldWon
Feroz Zinemaldia AwardWon
SIGNIS AwardWon
Seattle International Film Festival2018Ibero American CompetitionKilling JesusNominated
Warsaw Film Festival2017Best FilmKilling JesusNominated
2022Crème de la Crème AwardThe Kings of the WorldWon
Zurich Film Festival2017Best International Feature FilmKilling JesusNominated
2022Best International Feature FilmThe Kings of the WorldWon

External links