Robert Brown

Personal statement

Rob Brown is a lecturer and award winning writer-director whose work has been screened at the Edinburgh International Film Festival and broadcast on BBC TV. His award nominations include 'European Competition' at Brest European Short Film Festival, 'Best Newcomer' at Rushes Soho Shorts and the BBC New Filmmakers Award. Rob was selected for the Berlinale Talent Campus in 2007. He was also chosen for the Edinburgh Film Festival 'Trailblazers' and British Film Institute 'Think Shoot Distribute' programmes in 2008.

He was selected for the Talent Lab at Edinburgh International Film Festival 2011and his feature script ‘Sixteen’ was also chosen from 400 entries to be performed at the BAFTA Rocliffe New Writing Forum.

Rob's UKFC short film SILENT THINGS received its international premiere at the 40th International Film Festival Rotterdam in 2011, where it won the New Arrivals jury award, and his 35mm short film ‘Paper Hearts’ received its UK Premiere at Rushes Soho Shorts Film Festival 2011.

Rob has recently completed his first feature film, SIXTEEN, which premiered at the BFI London Film Festival 2013. SIXTEEN was nominated for Best Debut Feature, while Rob received a nomination for Best British Newcomer.

SIXTEEN received its International Premiere at the 49th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival 2014 where it screened in competition for the Forum of Independents award.

Praise for SIXTEEN: “Rob Brown’s haunting feature debut…Committed performances and a script favouring character over gunplay” - Total Film.

“This affecting British drama centres on Congolese teenage Jumah (impressive Roger Jean Nsengumva) coping with his traumatic past” - The Guardian.

“Absorbing” - Radio Times *.

“Engrossing…delivers plenty of suspense” - Sight and Sound.

'Powerful tale of a former child soldier marks an assured debut' - Cineuropa.

'A beautifully realised and moving take on the British urban thriller' - BFI London Film Festival.

'Written and directed with evident integrity by celebrated short filmmaker Rob Brown, Sixteen is a feature that promises good things to come from all the principals involved' - Screen Daily.

'Sixteen gives contemporary London the voice it deserves' - Cinevue.