Clio Barnard

Writer / Director

Agent: Matthew Bates


T: +44 (0)20 7823 3883
E: matthew@saylescreen.com

11 Jubilee Place, London,
SW3 3TD, United Kingdom


Clio Barnard's fourth feature, ALI & AVA starring Adeel Akhtar and Claire Rushbrook, for BBC Films premiered in the Directors Fortnight at Cannes. The film won two BIFA Awards and was nominated for two BAFTAs. 

Clio also directed THE ESSEX SERPENT, a six-part TV series, starring Claire Danes and Tom Hiddleston. Produced by See-Saw Films for Apple TV+. 

DARK RIVER starring Ruth Wilson and Mark Stanley. Premiering in the PLATFORM section of the Toronto Film Festival, it was awarded a special mention by the Jury: "This film deeply rooted in the Yorkshire countryside convinced us, as its characters and actors, its photography, its story and its sense of place were all so utterly believable and controlled, that we were totally taken by it."

THE SELFISH GIANT, which premiered as part of Cannes Director’s Fortnight 2013 and, among other prizes, won the Europa Cinema Label’s Best European Film.

THE ARBOR, her first feature-length documentary film about Bradford playwright Andrea Dunbar, received huge critical success on its release in 2010, and numerous awards including The Douglas Hickox Award at the British Independent Film Awards (BIFAs), Best Screenplay at the Evening Standard British Film Awards, Best British Newcomer at the BFI London Film Festival, Best New Documentary Filmmaker at Tribeca and The Grierson Award for Best Cinema Documentary.

ALI & AVA, was written and directed by Clio and released in 2021. A drama-romance which led to a BAFTA nomination for Adeel Akhtar for Best Actor and for Outstanding British Film of the Year. While gaining another 6 wins and 12 nominations elsewhere.

Clio is currently directing series two of SHERWOOD for BBC and House Productions. The series is written and created by James Graham and stars David Morrissey and Lesley Manville.