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Gillian Berrie

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Gillian Berrie
Director David Mackenzie & Producer Gillian Berrie (2016)
BornSeptember 1967 (age 57)
NationalityScottish
OccupationFilm producer
OrganizationSigma Films
Websitehttp://www.sigmafilms.com

Zara Gillian Berrie (born September 1967)[1] is a Scottish filmmaker and co-founder of the Glasgow-based production company Sigma Films with director David Mackenzie.[2]

Berrie also founded Film City Glasgow, the state-of-the-art creative cluster for production, picture and sound which spearheads independent production in Scotland.[3]

She also created the hugely successful Jumpcut project which was dedicated to giving young and underprivileged people access to working in the film industry through a pop-up film school that created an intensive, mentor-lead fast track into the industry.[4] The project went on to inspire Berrie to create Short Circuit, the Scottish talent initiative and shorts funding scheme that launched in 2020.[5][6]

Career

[edit]

In 1996 Berrie co-founded Sigma Films with director David Mackenzie, writing and producing serial award-winning shorts, California Sunshine and Somersault.[7][8]

Alongside, Berrie gained experience in numerous film and television roles as well as Casting Director on Ken Loach's My Name is Joe (for which Peter Mullan won the Palme d'Or in Cannes) and Lynne Ramsay's legendary Ratcatcher.[9][10]

Casting experience on the aforementioned led Berrie to create the charity, Starfish which then became Jumpcut, which ultimately morphed into Short Circuit, and Big Fish Casting which segued into Kahleen Crawford Casting.[11][12]

Gillian produced many of David Mackenzie's films including: Last Great Wilderness, Hallam Foe, Young Adam, You Instead (aka Tonight You're Mine), Perfect Sense, Starred Up and the biggest film ever to be made entirely in Scotland, Outlaw King.  She was also heavily involved in the post-production, festival, UK/US theatrical release and Oscar campaign for Academy Award Nominee Hell or High Water.

At the Scottish BAFTA New Talent Awards in 2002 Gillian won the BAFTA for Outstanding Achievement.[13]

In order to create a vibrant hub for the film community in Scotland, Gillian founded the state of the art, Film City Glasgow in 2004. Since then it has been a full house of productions and film-makers.[11]

In 2012 she founded Jumpcut, the UK's one and only, intensive, mentor-led Summer School to provide a fast-track for youngsters into working in the film industry. This project was a runaway success. It ran for three years and won several awards.[14]

She also co-produced the multi-prize winner Dear Frankie and Jonathan's Glazer's Under the Skin (which won 23 awards and received 110 nominations).[15][16]

Berrie has produced several features for first time feature film directors, including David Mackenzie, Colin Kennedy, Andrea Arnold, Morag MacKinnon and Ciaran Foy, as well as numerous additional shorts including the lauded I Love Luci.

Over the years, Berrie co-produced with Denmark's Zentropa many times, including Wilbur (Wants to kill himself), Dogville, Manderlay, Brothers, Dear Wendy, Donkeys and After the Wedding.[17] Her most successful collaboration was Advance Party a fast-track-first-time-director project which included Andrea Arnold’s Red Road which won 6 BAFTAs, 2 BIFAs, the Cannes Prix de Jury, and many other awards.

In 2012 Berrie won ‘Tastemaker of the Year’ at the Scottish Style Awards. Previous winners are James McAvoy, Vivienne Westwood and KT Tunstall.[18]

In 2014 Berrie received an Honorary Doctorate from the University of West of Scotland for her contribution to film, culture and the arts.[19]

From 2014 to 2018 Gillian devoted several years to strategic and intensive lobbying for additional funding and support for the screen sector in Scotland which resulted in the government doubling its investment and the creation of the enormously successful Screen Scotland.[20]

Gillian continues to contribute to the next generation of Scottish film-makers through Short Circuit, which is in its 3rd year and has so far given the first opportunities in film-making to hundreds of new-comers and produced dozens of short films and is developing a number of feature films.[6]

Short Circuit is Scotland's hub for filmmaking talent, supporting the creative and professional development of new and emerging writers, directors, and producers.

Over three years, Short Circuit's film commissioning strand ‘Sharp Shorts’ will award over £400,000 in funding across 27 filmmaking teams, creating opportunities for Scotland's most exciting emerging new screen talent.

‘Sharp Shorts’ has become one of Scotland's most diverse creative initiatives, with an overwhelming majority of female filmmakers as well as significant representation across the LGBTQ+, non-white and disabled communities.

The first batch of short films are screening internationally at festivals such as SXSW, BFI Flare, EIFF, Dinard, LSFF, Berlin, with multiple awards. In particular, Sean Lìonadh's short Too Rough has won 11 awards to date.

The ‘First Features’ strand, with a fund of over £300,000, will support 30 new writers, directors, and producers, enabling Scotland-based filmmakers to take a career-defining step towards making their debut feature.  

(First Features supported projects to date: 20, with 5 currently being contracted. We intend to fund an additional 5 projects by Mar 2023).

A broad range of further training and events, including ‘Producer Accelerator’ and ‘Convergence’, will engage with nearly 3,000 filmmakers across Scotland.[5]

Most recently, Berrie exec-produced the critically acclaimed Pilot and 2nd episode of the Disney/ FX series Under the Banner of Heaven for which Andrew Garfield was nominated for an Emmy (2022).[21]

She also produced Taron Egerton's forthcoming feature, Tetris for Apple, release Q1, 2023.

Berrie has just completed her first short, Hunger, as writer and director.

Filmography

[edit]
Film Year Director Role
Carla's Song 1996 Ken Loach Production Assistant
California Sunshine 1997 David Mackenzie Producer, Writer
My Name is Joe 1998 Ken Loach Casting Director
Orphans 1998 Peter Mullan Production Coordinator
Ratcatcher 1999 Lynne Ramsay Casting Director
Somersault 2000 David Mackenzie Producer, Writer
The Last Great Wilderness 2002 David Mackenzie Producer, Writer
Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself 2002 Lone Scherfig Co-Producer
Song for a Raggy Boy 2003 Aisling Walsh Co-Producer
The Inheritance 2003 Per Fly Co-Producer
Young Adam 2003 David Mackenzie Associate Producer
Dogville 2003 Lars von Trier Co-Producer
Brothers 2004 Susanne Bier Co-Producer
Dear Frankie 2004 Shona Auerbach Co-Producer
Dear Wendy 2004 Thomas Vinterburg Co-Producer
Drabnet 2005 Per Fly Co-Producer
Zozo 2005 Josef Fares Co-Producer
Manderlay 2005 Lars von Trier Co-Producer
The Judge 2005 Gert Fredholm Co-Producer
1:1 2006 Annette K. Olesen Co-Producer
We Shall Overcome 2006 Niels Arden Oplev Co-Producer
When Children Play in the Sky 2006 Lorenzo Hendel Producer
Red Road 2006 Andrea Arnold Executive Producer
After the Wedding 2006 Susanne Bier Co-Producer
Dog Altogether 2007 Paddy Considine Executive Producer
Hallam Foe 2007 David Mackenzie Producer
I Love Luci 2010 Colin Kennedy Executive Producer
Donkeys 2010 Morag MacKinnon Producer
Perfect Sense 2011 David Mackenzie Producer
You Instead 2011 David Mackenzie Producer
A Royal Affair 2012 Nikolaj Arcel Co-Producer
Citadel 2012 Ciaran Foy Executive Producer
Seaview 2013 Jane Linfoot Executive Producer
Under the Skin 2013 Jonathan Glazer Co-Producer
Starred Up 2013 David Mackenzie Producer
Good Souls 2014 Elizabeth Randon Executive Producer
Dropping Off Michael 2015 Zam Salim Executive Producer
Swung 2015 Colin Kennedy Executive Producer
Misgivings 2016 Adrian Meade Executive Producer
Ending 2017 James Lees Executive Producer
Hush 2017 Olaf de Fleur Johannesson Executive Producer
Damnation 2017 David Mackenzie Executive Producer
Outlaw King 2018 David Mackenzie Producer
Under the Banner of Heaven 2022 David Mackenzie Producer
Hunger 2022 Gillian Berrie Director
Tetris 2023 Jon S. Baird Producer
Fuze TBA David Mackenzie Producer

Awards

[edit]
Year Nominated Work Category Result
2007 After the Wedding Best Foreign Language Film of the Year Nominated
2013 A Royal Affair Best Foreign Language Film of the Year Nominated
Year Nominated Work Category Result
2005 Dear Frankie Most Promising Newcomer (Shona Auerbach) Nominated
2007 Red Road Most Promising Newcomer (Andrea Arnold) Won
2008 Dog Altogether Best Short Film Won
2013 Seaview Best Short Film Nominated
2015 Under the Skin Best British Film Nominated
Best Original Music (Mica Levi) Nominated
Year Nominated Work Category Result
1997 California Sunshine Best Short Film Nominated
2002 Outstanding Achievement Award Win
2003 Young Adam Best Film Win
Best Director (David Mackenzie) Win
Best Actor in a Scottish Film (Ewan McGregor) Win
Best Actress in a Scottish Film (Tilda Swinton) Win
2004 Dear Frankie Best Director (Shona Auerbach) Nominated
Best First Time Performance (Jack McElhone) Nominated
2006 Red Road Best Film Win
Best Director (Andrea Arnold) Win
Best Actor in a Scottish Film (Tony Curran) Win
Best Actress in a Scottish Film (Kate Dickie) Win
Best Screenplay (Andrea Arnold) Win
2007 Hallam Foe Best Film Nominated
Best Screenplay Nominated
Best Actor (Jamie Bell) Nominated
Best Actress (Sophia Myles) Win
2011 Donkeys Best Feature Film Win
Best Director (Morag McKinnon) Nominated
Best Writer (Colin McLaren) Nominated
Best Actor/Actress - Film (James Cosmo) Win
Best Actor/Actress - Film (Brian Pettifer) Nominated
Audience Award - Favourite Scottish Film Nominated
Perfect Sense Best Feature Film Nominated
Best Director Nominated
Audience Award - Favourite Scottish Film Nominated
You Instead Audience Award - Favourite Scottish Film Nominated
I Love Luci Best Short Film Win
2012 Citadel Best Feature Film Nominated
2013 Starred Up Best Feature Film Win
Best Directing in Film or TV Win
Best Actor - Film (Jack O'Connell) Nominated
2015 Swung Best Actress - Film (Elena Anaya) Nominated
Best Actress - Film (Elizabeth McGovern) Nominated
Dropping Off Michael Best Short Film Nominated
Year Nominated Work Category Result
2007 Hallam Foe Prize of the Guild of German Art House Cinemas Win
Silver Berlin Bear - Best Film Music Win
Golden Berlin Bear Nominated
2012 A Royal Affair Silver Berlin Bear - Best Actor (Mikel Boe Folsgaard) Win
Silver Berlin Bear - Best Screenplay (Nikolaj Arcel & Rasmus Heisterberg) Win
Golden Berlin Bear Nominated
Year Nominated Work Category Result
2003 Young Adam Best British Independent Film Nominated
Best Director (David Mackenzie) Nominated
Best Actor (Ewan McGregor) Nominated
Best Actress (Tilda Swinton) Nominated
Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself Most Promising Newcomer (Jamie Sives) Nominated
Best Screenplay (Anders Thomas Jensen & Lone Scherfig) Nominated
Best Supporting Actor/Actress (Shirley Henderson) Nominated
Best Supporting Actor/Actress (Adrian Rawlins) Nominated
2006 Red Road Best British Independent Film Nominated
Best Actor (Tony Curran) Win
Best Actress (Kate Dickie) Win
Best Supporting Actor/Actress (Martin Compston) Nominated
Douglas Hickox Award (Andrea Arnold) Nominated
2007 Hallam Foe Best British Independent Film Nominated
Best Director (David Mackenzie) Nominated
Best Screenplay (David Mackenzie & Ed Whitmore) Nominated
Best Technical Achievement (David Mackenzie & Colin Monie for Music) Nominated
Best Actor (Jamie Bell) Nominated
Best Actress (Sophia Myles) Nominated
Dog Altogether Best British Short Win
2011 You Instead Best Achievement in Production Nominated
2013 Starred Up Best British Independent Film Nominated
Best Director (David Mackenzie) Nominated
Best Screenplay (Jonathan Asser) Nominated
Best Achievement in Production Nominated
Best Technical Achievement (Shaheen Baig for Casting) Nominated
Best Actor (Jack O'Connell) Nominated
Best Supporting Actor (Ben Mendelsohn) Win
Best Supporting Actor (Rupert Friend) Nominated
Under the Skin Best Director (Jonathan Glazer) Nominated
Best Technical Achievement (Johnnie Burn for Sound Design) Nominated
Best Technical Achievement (Mica Levi for Music) Nominated
Best Actress (Scarlett Johansson) Nominated
Year Nominated Work Category Result
2003 Young Adam Un Certain Regard Nominated
Dogville Palme d'Or Nominated
2005 Manderlay Palme d'Or Nominated
2006 Red Road Jury Prize Win
Palme d'Or Nominated

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Zara Gillian Berrie personal appointments - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". Companies House. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
  2. ^ "Gillian Berrie". IMDb.com. Retrieved 2016-08-15.
  3. ^ "Inspiration - Film City Glasgow". Filmcityglasgow.com. Retrieved 2016-08-15.
  4. ^ "JUMPCUT". Jumpcutfilm.wordpress.com. 2013-12-18. Retrieved 2016-08-15.
  5. ^ a b Dalton, Ben (2020-05-12). "'Screen Scotland, BFI launch £1m talent development programme'". Screendaily.com. Retrieved 2020-07-01.
  6. ^ a b "About". Short Circuit. Retrieved 2022-09-16.
  7. ^ "British Council Film: California Sunshine". film-directory.britishcouncil.org. Retrieved 2022-09-16.
  8. ^ "British Council Film: Somersault". film-directory.britishcouncil.org. Retrieved 2022-09-16.
  9. ^ My Name Is Joe (1998) - IMDb, retrieved 2022-09-16
  10. ^ Ratcatcher (1999) - IMDb, retrieved 2022-09-16
  11. ^ a b Digital, Innovation. "Film City keeps Glasgow in the picture". www.clydewaterfront.com. Retrieved 2022-09-16.
  12. ^ "Big Fish Casting". BFI. Archived from the original on March 2, 2017. Retrieved 2022-09-16.
  13. ^ Hunter2002-11-26T04:05:00+00:00, Allan. "Late Night Shopping bags BAFTA Scotland award". Screen. Retrieved 2022-09-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  14. ^ "Jumpcut". Film City Futures. Retrieved 2022-09-16.
  15. ^ "DEAR FRANKIE". Festival-cannes.com. Retrieved 2016-08-24.
  16. ^ "Under The Skin: the making of Scarlett Johansson's alienating new film". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
  17. ^ Martin-Jones, David (2005-09-30). Scotland: Global Cinema: Genres, Modes and Identities. Edinburgh University Press. ISBN 9780748686544.
  18. ^ "Scottish Style Awards - scottish style awards". www.scottishstyleawards.co.uk. Retrieved 2022-09-16.
  19. ^ Scotland, University of the West of. "UWS - University of the West Scotland - Scottish Filmmaker to receive UWS Honorary Doctorate". Uws.ac.uk. Retrieved 2016-08-15.
  20. ^ "Here's how Scotland's film industry was destroyed – and rescued". The National. Retrieved 2022-09-16.
  21. ^ "Apple Boards Taron Egerton-Starring 'Tetris' from 'Stan & Ollie' Director Jon S. Baird, 'Rocketman' Producer Matthew Vaughn". Deadline.com. 19 November 2020.