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Paul Greengrass To Deliver BAFTA David Lean Lecture

5 February 2014
Paul GreengrassBAFTA/ Richard Kendal

Film lecture to take place on Tuesday 18 March 2014

London, 5 February: The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) today announced that the BAFTA-winning and Oscar-nominated director Paul Greengrass will deliver the David Lean Lecture – BAFTA’s prestigious film lecture – on Tuesday 18 March. The event will take place at BAFTA’s headquarters, 195 Piccadilly in London.

The David Lean Lecture aims to educate, inform and inspire practitioners and the public by providing insight into the experiences of some of the world’s best and most compelling filmmakers. It also provides a forum for further discussion of their outstanding creative achievements. Previous speakers include Robert Altman, John Boorman, Oliver Stone, David Lynch and Pedro Almodóvar.

Paul Greengrass is one of the most highly regarded British directors, with a distinct style and a distinguished career that spans nearly thirty years to date. Originally known for his television films concerned with social and political issues, over the last decade Greengrass has directed a series of commercially and critically acclaimed feature films including United 93, Green Zone, The Bourne Ultimatum and Captain Phillips.

Nik Powell, Chair of the BAFTA Film Committee, said: “Paul Greengrass is one of the UK’s greatest contemporary directors. His fearless approach to filmmaking has led to him creating some truly memorable features for both film and television. His often gritty and realistic productions create suspense with seemingly effortless ease. We are honoured to have such a remarkable filmmaker present the latest BAFTA David Lean Lecture.”

Members and public tickets for the BAFTA David Lean Lecture will go on sale on Wednesday 12 February. To book tickets, go to www.bafta.org/whats-on/.

The lecture will also be recorded for BAFTA Guru, BAFTA’s online learning channel: www.bafta.org/guru. BAFTA’s online learning resource aimed at career starters in the film, television and games industries looking for advice, insight and inspiration from the best creative minds working today. Recordings of previous lectures can also be found on the site.

The David Lean Lecture carries on the legacy of the great director David Lean, one of the founders of the British Film Academy (as it was then known) in 1947. He is a continuing inspiration to many through his exceptional body of work and the lecture is generously funded by The David Lean Foundation.

Paul Greengrass Biography:

Paul Greengrass began his career in television covering global conflict for the ITV current affairs programme World in Action, as well as writing and directing documentaries. He has written and directed dramas including The Murder of Stephen Lawrence, for which he won a BAFTA for Single Drama in 2000, and Bloody Sunday, which was nominated for a BAFTA in the same category in 2003, and also won the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival. Greengrass produced and co-wrote the television film Omagh, for which he was once again awarded a BAFTA for Single Drama in 2005, and also received the Alan Clarke Award (presented for Outstanding Creative Contribution to Television) at the same ceremony.

In 2004 Greengrass directed the box office hit, The Bourne Supremacy, starring Matt Damon. In 2008 he was BAFTA-nominated for his direction of the BAFTA and Oscar award-winning sequel, The Bourne Ultimatum. Between the Bourne films Greengrass wrote, directed and produced United 93, for which he won the BAFTA David Lean Award for Achievement in Direction in 2007, and also gained an Oscar nomination for Best Director. In 2010 Greengrass directed Matt Damon for a third time in Green Zone.

His most recent film, Captain Phillips, is nominated for nine BAFTAs at this year’s EE British Academy Film Awards, including Best Director, and six Oscars.

Event details:

‘BAFTA David Lean Lecture: Paul Greengrass’
18 March at BAFTA, 195 Piccadilly in London
19:00 Champagne Taittinger Reception
19:45 Event Commences

Paul Greengrass David Lean Lecture Announcement (220.2 KB)


Further Information

For further information, please contact Kindred Agency

Rosie Mann
Tel: 020 7010 0843
Email: [email protected]
Hollie Rendall
Tel: 020 7010 0829
Email: [email protected]

!!About BAFTA

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is an independent charity that supports, develops and promotes the art forms of the moving image by identifying and rewarding excellence, inspiring practitioners and benefiting the public. In addition to its Awards ceremonies, BAFTA has a year-round Learning & Events programme that offers unique access to some of the world’s most inspiring talent through workshops, masterclasses, lectures and mentoring schemes, connecting with audiences of all ages and backgrounds across the UK, Los Angeles and New York. BAFTA relies on income from membership subscriptions, individual donations, trusts, foundations and corporate partnerships to support its ongoing outreach work. For further information, visit www.bafta.org or www.bafta.org/guru.