Gillian Robespierre (born June 29, 1978)[2] is an American director and writer, known for writing and directing the films Obvious Child and Landline.
Early life
Robespierre was born to a Jewish family and raised in New York City.[3] In 2005 she graduated from the School of Visual Arts, where she majored in Film and Video.[4][5]
In 2009, Robespierre co-wrote (with Anna Bean and Karen Maine) and directed the short film Obvious Child, about a young woman who is impregnated after a one-night stand and decides to have an abortion. Robespierre approached Jenny Slate to star in the lead role after seeing her perform at a comedy club.[7] Robespierre later expanded the short into her 2014 feature film debut Obvious Child with Slate once again playing the lead role. The film premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival where it was acquired by A24 Films.
It was announced in January 2021 that Robespierre would direct an adaptation of Melissa Broder's novel The Pisces, about a woman and her "erotic infatuation with a merman". The film will star Claire Foy.[9]