Simon Beaufoy

19 October 10

BAFTA/Jay Brooks

Whether a feel-good comedy or political drama, Beaufoy’s diverse range of work is always insightful and full of compassion for his characters.

His debut feature-length script, The Full Monty (1997), enjoyed huge critical and commercial success. The comedy followed six unemployed men who turn to stripping as a money-earner, and gave Beaufoy his first BAFTA and Oscar nominations.

Scripts followed for Among Giants (1998), a triangular love story about pylon painters in yorkshire, and The Darkest Light (1999). Beaufoy co-directed the latter with occasional collaborator Bille Eltringham – who also directed his script for This Is Not A Love Song (2002) in which a criminal duo are stalked across the Scottish moors.

He then wrote two very contrasting stories set in his hometown of Keighley. Blow Dry (2001) brought the British Hairdressing Championship to town, whilst Yasmin (2004) saw a British Muslim woman caught in a post-9/11 nightmare when her Pakistani-born husband is falsely imprisoned as a terror suspect. Beaufoy’s television work includes the mini-series Burn Up (2008), a political thriller that dealt with climate change.

Most recently, he enjoyed international success with his adapation of Slumdog Millionaire (2008). The ‘rags to riches’ tale earned Beaufoy his first BAFTA, Golden Globe and Oscar wins, among countless others. The film itself won seven BAFTAs and eight Oscars, including Best Film at both.

Beaufoy’s latest film is a second collaboration with Danny Boyle, 127 Hours (2010), a real-life drama starring James Franco.

More from Simon Beaufoy

• Watch Simon Beaufoy's Screenwriting Lecture
• Find out more about his favourite script

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