Biography

Alex Barrett is an independent filmmaker based in London.

His debut feature, LIFE JUST IS, was released theatrically in the UK in December 2012, screening at a number of cinemas including the ICA, Riverside Studios, Genesis Cinema, and the BFI Southbank where it had a two-week run.

His second feature, LONDON SYMPHONY, was released theatrically in September 2017, launching with a sold-out screening at the Barbican Centre, prior to touring over fifty-five venues throughout the UK. These venues included respected cinemas such as Edinburgh Filmhouse, Derby QUAD and HOME Manchester, and alternative spaces such as the iconic Alexandra & Ainsworth Estate, Shree Ghanapathy Temple and Southwark Cathedral. Five screenings presented the film with its music performed live by the Covent Garden Sinfonia.

To date, Alex's work has been screened at over 70 international festivals, including such prestigious events as the Edinburgh International Film Festival, Hamburg International Short Film Festival, and the Tribeca Film Festival.

His films have won sixteen awards, including 'Best Lo-Budget Film' at the London Short Film Festival (for PAINTBRUSH: THE EPITAPH), 'Stoli Emerging Filmmaker Award' at the Babelgum Online Film Festival (for HUNGERFORD: SYMPHONY OF A LONDON BRIDGE) and 'Jury Award' at the Mexico International Film Festival (for LIFE JUST IS).

His short films have also enjoyed a number of non-festival screenings, including showings at the BFI Southbank, the Barbican Centre, the Victoria & Albert Museum and the National Gallery of Art in Washington.

The short film GREAT & SMALL was described by the writer and broadcaster Sarfraz Manzoor as "witty and profound", while regular Sight & Sound contributor Brad Stevens called LIFE JUST IS "one of the most promising debuts in contemporary cinema" before placing it in his top five films of 2012.

The home video release of LIFE JUST IS was acclaimed as Mark Kermode's 'DVD of the Week' in both The Observer and on BBC News 24, and the feature was nominated for the Michael Powell Award for Best British Film at the Edinburgh International Film Festival in June 2012, where it was also selected for the 'Best of the Fest' screenings.

LONDON SYMPHONY was likewise nominated for the Michael Powell Award for Best British Film at the Edinburgh International Film Festival, where it had its World Premiere in June 2017. It was released internationally on Blu-ray and VOD through Flicker Alley, and in the UK on DVD through New Wave Films. It received a UK VOD release on the BFI Player, where it was selected as Mark Kermode's choice of the week.

Kermode also featured LONDON SYMPHONY in his BBC roundup of the best films of 2017. In addition, LONDON SYMPHONY was selected as CineVue's 'Film of the Week', and denoted as a 'must see' by critic Rich Cline in his five star review. It was the winner of four categories in the Silent London Poll of 2017: Best Silent Film DVD/Blu-ray Release, Best Silent Film Theatrical Release, Best Modern Silent of 2017, and Silent Hero of 2017 (for Alex personally). More recently, LONDON SYMPHONY was selected by Little White Lies magazine as one of the '100 Greatest British Films' in their July/August 2019 issue.

The film also served as the subject for Alex's first solo photography exhibition, which ran at Southwark Cathedral from February 10th – March 2nd 2018.

In early 2019, Alex's script for JANUARY (written in collaboration with the film's director, Andrey Paounov) finished filming. A surreal tale of five men stuck in a snowstorm at the edge of the world, JANUARY was inspired by Yordan Radichkov's play of the same name. A rough cut of the film was selected to participate in the First Cut Lab at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival 2019. Some behind the scenes stills can be found here.

While in development, JANUARY was selected for the EAVE Producers Workshop 2016, Torino Film Lab's Script & Pitch Programme 2016, International Film Festival Rotterdam's CineMart 2017, and the Venice Gap-Financing Market 2018. It won the Best Bulgarian Project Award at the Sofia Meetings Co-production Market 2017 and the Danny Lerner Award for project in development at the So Independent Film Festival 2017.

Alex is currently working on a number of new projects, including ELECTRICITY, a black comedy from Portokal, the production company behind JANUARY.


Selected Filmography

2020: January (feature): Writer. Currently in postproduction
Producer: Portokal. Written in collaboration with the film's director, Andrey Paounov. Selected for the EAVE Producers Workshop 2016, Torino Film Lab Script & Pitch Programme 2016, International Film Festival Rotterdam's CineMart 2017, the Venice Gap-Financing Market 2018, First Cut Lab at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival 2019 and Agora Works in Progress at the Thessaloniki International Film Festival 2019. Won the Best Bulgarian Project Award at the Sofia Meetings Co-production Market 2017 and the Danny Lerner Award for project in development at the So Independent Film Festival 2017. Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Centre, Bulgarian National Television and Creative Europe's MEDIA programme.

2018: Sounds Like London (short): Writer/Director/Co-Editor.
Commissioned by the London Symphony Orchestra and the Mayor of London, this short documentary premiered in Trafalgar Square on 1st July 2018, as part of the closing concert of the Mayor of London’s 'Sounds Like London' campaign.

2017: London Symphony (feature): Director, Editor.
Nominated for the Michael Powell Award for Best British Film at the Edinburgh International Film Festival 2017. Released theatrically in the UK in September 2017, internationally on Blu-ray and VOD through Flicker Alley in October 2017 and on R2 DVD through New Wave Films in February 2018. It was released on the BFI Player in November 2017, when it was selected as Mark Kermode's choice of the week. It was also the winner of four categories in the Silent London Poll of 2017: Best Silent Film DVD/Blu-ray release, Best Silent Film Theatrical Release, Best Modern Silent of 2017 and Silent Hero of 2017 (for Alex personally). It was also selected by Little White Lies magazine as one of the '100 Greatest British Films' in their July/August 2019 issue. Previously, the film simultaneously completed two successful crowdfunding campaigns in October 2014, reaching 116% of its target on Kickstarter, and becoming the first project ever to reach its target on new crowdfunding platform CrowdShed. Three special screenings, featuring live performances of the film's score, were supported by the Arts Council England.

2017: What If Women Ruled the World? (play): Co-writer.
Performed at Studio 1, Filmby Aarhus, Denmark from 23rd-25th November 2017 and again, in a modified form, at the Volksbühne Theatre in Berlin from 12th-14th April 2018 and 6th-7th June 2018.

2014: Lost Boy: Albert: Director, Editor.
Music video for Lost Boy’s upcoming single ‘Albert’, currently in postproduction.

2013: What's Sad (play/monologue): Writer.
Performed at Omnibus Clapham on 6th December 2013 and at The Water Rats, Kings Cross on 2nd December 2019.

2012: Life Just Is (feature): Director, Writer.
Nominated for the Michael Powell Award for Best British Film at the Edinburgh International Film Festival 2012, where it was selected for the 'Best of the Fest' screenings and a special 'highlights' series. Also winner 'Jury Award' at the Mexico International Film Festival 2013, winner 'Gold Kahuna Award' at Honolulu Film Awards 2013, selected for the Arizona International Film Festival 2013, and nominated for Best Feature at the Van d'Or Awards 2012. Released theatrically and on home video in the UK and Ireland in December 2012 through Independent Distribution.

2012: Ginger Wildheart Mutation: Lively Boy: Director, Writer, Editor.
Music video released exclusively to pledgers of Ginger Wildheart's 'Mutation & Hey! Hello!' Pledge Campaign.

2012: Letters From Everyone (play): Director.
Performed at the Young Actors Theatre Islington on 30th and 31st March 2012.

2009: Paintbrush: The Epitaph: Director, Co-Writer, Editor.
Eight festivals including Hamburg International Short Film Festival 2010 and Winner Best Lo-Budget Film at London Short Film Festival 2010. Also selected for the British Council's International Short Film Festival Submission Scheme, and due to be released in Germany on the Best of Junges Dokfest DVD.

2008: Hungerford: Symphony of a London Bridge: Director, Editor.
Twenty festivals including Edinburgh International Film Festival 2009, Huesca International Film Festival 2009 and Tribeca Film Festival 2010. Winner Stoli Emerging Filmmaker Award (Nonnarrative), Babelgum Online Film Festival 2010; Winner Audience Award (Nonnarrative), Babelgum Online Film Festival 2010; Winner Best Video Art, It's Idea that Matters 2010.

2008: Paintbrush: Director, Co-Writer, Editor.
Eleven festivals, including London Short Film Festival 2009, Hull International Short Film Festival 2009, and SXSWClick 2008. Winner Best Original Screenplay, Urban Forest Pictures Screening March 2009 and Winner Audience Award at Filmstock International Film Festival 2009.

2008: Canbury: Director, Writer, Editor, Co-Producer.
Eight festivals including Short Cuts Cologne 2008 and Filmstock International Film Festival 2008.

2007: Great & Small: Director, Writer, Executive Producer.
Nine festivals, including Anonimul International Independent Film Festival 2007 and Wood Green International Short Film Festival 2008. Winner Best Short Form Furzedown Film Festival 2008, Winner Best Film Urban Forest Pictures Screening June 2009 and Runner Up Insight Film Festival 2007.

2007: Andrew: Director, Writer.
Budapest Short Film Festival 2008, Holloway Arts Festival 2009, Leith Short Film Festival 2009.

2007: Why I Love London: Director, Editor, Producer, Cinematographer.
Competition entry.

2007: Between the Lines: Second Unit Director, Co-Cinematographer, Co-Editor, Exec Prod.
Screened at Brixham Theatre, Phoenix Media Centre, The Flavel and Plymouth Big Screen.

2006: Product of the 80's: Director, Writer, Editor, Cinematographer.
Competition entry.

2006: Kill The Pain: Director, Co-Writer, Editor, Co-Producer, Cinematographer.
Commissioned music video.

2005: The Lion's Head: Co-Director, Co-Writer, Co-Editor, Co-Producer, Cinematographer.
Short listed for Cobra Vision competition, December 2005. Screened at Don't You Have Docs?, Melbourne, Feb 2011 and as part of Power of Making exhibition at the Victoria & Albert Museum, London, from Sept 2011 – Jan 2012, and Skirting the Real: The Line Between Documentary Film and Visual Art exhibition at Colour Box Studio, Melbourne, from January – February 2013.

2005: Is This a Question? Is This an Answer?: Co-Director, Co-Writer, Co-Editor, Co-Producer, Cinematographer.
Student piece. Three festivals, including 16th International Videofestival Bochum.

2005: Tuesday: Editor, First A.D.
Student piece. Manchester's International Kinofilm Festival 2006

2005: Answers: Director, Writer, Editor, Producer, Cinematographer.
Student piece.

2004: Tisaanah : Co-Director, Co-Editor, Co-Producer, Camera Operator.
Student piece.

2003: Borders&Boundaries: Director, Writer, Editor, Producer.
Student piece.

2003: Mira: Director, Co-Writer, Co-Producer.
Student piece.




All content and material on this website is Copyright © Alex Barrett 2018, unless otherwise stated.