Guiding Lights unveils leading industry mentors for 2013
Lighthouse and Creative Skillset, in partnership with Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board (IFB), are delighted to announce the latest illustrious line-up of mentors to come on board Guiding Lights – the British film industry's flagship mentoring scheme - further cementing its reputation as the most prestigious programme of its kind in Europe.
The 2013 mentors include directors: Oliver Parker (St Trinian’s, An Ideal Husband), John Madden (Shakespeare in Love, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel), Joanna Hogg (Archipelago, London Project), and Lenny Abrahamson (Garage, Frank).
Writer mentors include Will Davies (How to Train Your Dragon, Johnny English Reborn), Peter Straughan (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Men Who Stare at Goats), and Lucinda Coxon (The Crimson Petal and the White, and upcoming Crimson Peak starring Jessica Chastain).
This year’s producer mentors are: Nira Park (Shaun of the Dead, Cuban Fury), Andrea Calderwood (The Last King of Scotland, Half of a Yellow Sun), and Robyn Slovo (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Morvern Callar).
Guiding Lights patron Alison Thompson, co-president of Focus Features International(FFI), says: “During the four years that I’ve been involved with Guiding Lights, first as a mentor and now as Patron, a hugely impressive line-up of professionals have generously given their time to the scheme, including Sam Mendes, Danny Boyle, LoneScherfig, Kenneth Branagh, Paul Greengrass, Graham Broadbent, Abi Morgan, Tim Bevan, Christopher Hampton and James Marsh. The standard of the selected participants continues to rise, and we’re delighted to have been able to lure the same calibre of industry talent on board for 2013."
Each mentor is paired with a selected director, writer or producer, and works with them over a nine-month period. Many mentorships continue beyond the life of the scheme, such as producer, Nicky Bentham (Moon) whose Guiding Lights mentor was Barbara Broccoli (EON Productions). The mentorship has developed into a longer-term partnership with Nicky currently producing The Silent Storm, starring Damian Lewis and Andrea Riseborough, with Barbara Broccoli as Executive Producer.
Nicky Bentham comments: “Barbara took a real interest in all of the projects on my slate, her support was invaluable and inspiring. I was really excited to show her the script for The Silent Storm, as I was so passionate about the material. She loved it and came on board immediately. We’re now coming to the end of an incredible shoot and it’s been anamazing journey working together to bring it to life.”
Barbara Broccoli adds: “Being Nicky’s mentor has been a very exciting journey for me. I think I have learned more from her than she has from me! I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to work with Nicky and Corinna on The Silent Storm. I think that it is important to the health of the British film industry that we support new talent and encourage diversity in filmmaking “
First launched in 2006, Guiding Lights has worked with its partners to create mentorships for 99 talented filmmakers and professionals, many of whom have gone on to significant success. They feature several BAFTA winners and nominees, and a number of Screen International’s Stars of Tomorrow. Past Guiding Lights alumni include awardwinning Irish playwright and screenwriter Ursula Rani Sarma, Sundance and SXSW selected director Eva Weber (The Solitary Life of Cranes), 2013 BAFTA ‘Best Debut’ nominee Tina Gharavi (I Am Nasrine), Laura Hastings-Smith, who went on to produce Steve McQueen's Hunger, and Sundance and Berlin 2013 selected filmmaker Andy Heathcote (The Moo Man).
This year's Guiding Lights participants are based in the UK and Ireland, and work across fiction, animation and documentary. They are directors: Afarin Eghbal, Laura Smith, Andrew Lang, Henry Darke and Carmel Winters, writers: Andy Yerlett, Lucy Moore, Martin Wallace and Thomas Martin, and producers: Jessica Levick, Rob Watson and Alexa Seligman.
Guiding Lights is run by Lighthouse, and supported by Creative Skillset’s Film Skills Fund, which is funded by the National Lottery via the BFI, and through the Skills Investment Fund. The scheme is also part funded for a second year by Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board (IFB) through Screen Training Ireland, and is sponsored by STUDIOCANAL.
For further information on Guiding Lights please visit: www.lighthouse.org.uk/guiding-lightsLighthouse press contact: Clare Wilford, clare@clarewilford.co.uk Tel: 01904 622 090 / 07545 756 462
Notes:
Lighthouse is a digital culture agency based in Brighton that supports, commissions and exhibits work by artists and filmmakers. Occupying an important strategic position at the intersection of the art, film and creative industry sectors, Lighthouse creates inspirational programmes that show how important artists and filmmakers are in a changing media landscape. Lighthouse presents work in its own venue in Brighton, and works in partnership with galleries, museums, festivals, and cinemas nationally and internationally. www.lighthouse.org.uk
Creative Skillset is the licensed Sector Skills Council for the Entertainment Media, Fashion and Textiles, Publishing and Advertising. It is owned and invested in by employers working in social partnership with unions. It aspires to have the best skills and talent in the world to drive growth of the industries and the UK economy. Creative Skillset brings all parts of the Creative Industries together to add value through collaboration on workforce development. www.creativeskillset.org.
Creative Skillset’s Film Skills Fund, as part of its film skills strategy, is funded by the National Lottery via the BFI and through the Skills Investment Fund, which comprises industry and government co-investment. The film skills strategy focuses on addressing the vital skills and training needs of the industry to deliver maximum economic and cultural return: creating jobs, strengthening skills, building skills for the future and ensuring world-class film education. http://www.creativeskillset.org/
Established in May 1999, STUDIOCANAL theatrical UK has established a reputation for an innovative approach to distribution. A passion for film and commitment to creativity is central to STUDIOCANAL's activity in the UK market together with the desire to work collaboratively with our filmmakers to achieve the best possible results. STUDIOCANAL is a subsidiary of the CANAL+ Group. It is one of Europe’s leading companies in the market for co-production, acquisition, distribution and sale of international feature films.
Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board (IFB) is the national development agency for the Irish film industry investing in talent, creativity and enterprise. The agency supports and promotes the Irish film industry and the use of Ireland as a location for international production.
Screen Training Ireland is the national training and development resource specifically created for the Irish screen sectors. It was established in 1995 to provide continuing training and career development opportunities for professionals in the independent film and television sector, and is founded on a collaborative approach with industry. We are a unique resource for the Irish screen sectors, offering training by professionals for professionals. We are committed to providing customised, state of the art training to support the development of the Irish Industry.