Multi-award-winning Filmmaker Fran Lea became a UK Screen Star of Tomorrow after co-writing & directing critically acclaimed Feature Film Strawberry Fields with BBC Films, BFI, Spring Pictures, and Film London. Fran Lea taught women directors in Sweden (as well as through Film London, London Film School and University of Hertfordshire) at a time when Anna Serner demanded Europe change its commissioning policies to include 50% women filmmakers. Fran has lead panel & solo talks at Underwire Film Festival, BFI, & Birds Eye View Film Festival, created an Independent Cinema at Treadwell’s Art Mill, Bradford, directed theatre in Paris and worked as an Arts council &WIPN funded Writer-in-Residence at HMP Bedford.
*UK Screen Star of Tomorrow 2011
*11 International Awards
*Director of Network TV Drama, Feature Films, Comedy, Animation & Documentary
“She has pursued her passion to communicate the complexities of human beings through thick and thin. She has an extraordinary, uncompromising voice. If there is such a thing as a film making community, then it should be striving to push talents like Frances to the fore. Passionate about her work she may be, but she also has the easiest laugh of anyone I know and is great, inclusive company. I cannot recommend her highly enough.” Simon Beaufoy
In 2019 Fran trained as a holistic massage therapist and worked at Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital where she treated the amazing pandemic doctors and nurses 2020-24. This put the film industry in perspective and fed her need to be useful.
From 2020-23 Fran renovated and created her off grid eco beach house, to run on solar power and rainwater. Located on a nature reserve and bird sanctuary she opened it to staycations throughout the pandemic and beyond.
TAGGED
(director)
Not A Number Productions/Lakeshore Entertainment. A fantasy body-swapping movie. A young girl-thief becomes stuck inside the body of a dying female tai chi master. 2018/19.
MY HAPPY VULVA
(writer/director)
What Larks TV. A radical 6-part comedy drama series set in a basement of a women-only sex shop. 2017/18.
HOO-HA
(writer/director)
Overactive Imagination NZ/Grasp The Nettle Productions UK. New Zealand Film Commission, Toronto Producers’ Lab. An anarchic Road movie inspired by Daisies – 1966 Czechoslavakian surrealist comedy-drama film by Věra Chytilová. 2015/16.
FINGER PUPPETS
(writer/director)
M.I.A. Films, Mia Bays. Tommy the Rock Opera meets 1970s The Ice Storm. 2013/15.
BILLY AND GIRL
(director)
M.I.A. Films, Mia Bays. Novel by Deborah Levy. A farcical Coen Brothers style kidnapping heist. 2013/15.
FOUL PLAY/BABY DOLL
(writer/director)
M.I.A. Films, Mia Bays. 2013/15.
HOLLOWAY ROAD
(writer/director)
Wrote, shot and recorded film footage. 2024 Offline editing and production 2025.
STRAWBERRY FIELDS
(co-writer/director)
BBC Films/BFI/Film London Microwave/Spring Pictures/Soda Pictures. A psychological drama about two sisters, set in the strawberry picking fields of Kent. Multiple Primetime BBC Saturday night screenings, Netflix, Soda Pictures cinema and DVD release 2012. Critically acclaimed, worldwide Festival screenings.
*’Very well directed by Frances Lea… a very handsome film… it is rather impressive.’ Mark Kermode
*’An intelligent script, beguiling performances, A Streetcar Named Desire meets My Summer of Love.’ Total Film ****
*’Lea has produced a fine piece of cinema and is a talent the British Film Industry should cherish’. Hollywood News
EVERYONE’S HAPPY
(director)
65min film written by Simon Beaufoy and produced by Mark Blaney. Footprint Films/Yorkshire Media Production Agency. Two tents, four lost souls, a few wet days in an out of season, seaside town.
*’Marvelously played by a no-name cast, it puts many flashier Britpics to Shame.’ Derek Elley, Variety
FUGEE GIRL
(director)
Half hour drama, Channel 4 Outcasts series.
SAMSON SUPERSLUG
(director)
A 13 part Comedy Drama series for ITV network, written by Jeff Povey, with producers Jill Green and Linda James.
RELEASE ME
(writer/director)
BBC2 Disability 7 International awards.
*’For me it is a surprising and brave film, and an inspiration to watch.’ Jane Campion
FRIERN HOSPITAL CLOSURE
(director)
50min documentary financed by N.E. Thames Health Authority, produced by Never Never Films.
FACE-ON
(director)
Mosaic Films/Screen East. Created a pilot documentary, with inmates telling and performing their stories from HMP Bedford.
OH JULIE!
(director/writer)
9min animation for Channel 4. 4 international awards with US Manga cinema and DVD release as part of General Chaos Uncensored animation.
YOU ME BUM BUM TRAIN
(scene leader)
A 5* immersive theatre show. 2024/2025.
*’The sublime theatrical joyride is back and as incredible as ever.’ Time Out
*’The cult immersive theatre show that’s like a therapy session and fever dreams combined.’ Independent
THE QUEENS
(director)
Glasshouse Theatre Company, Paris.
*’Spirited and utterly absorbing… nuanced performances capturing the blend of power and paranoia which defines their characters… The result is memorable and attention-grabbing theatre.’ Time Out (Paris)
GET A LIFE HARRY
(director)
17 part interactive internet comedy drama series written by Judith Johnson for IMP Corporation. Creative Director Simon Beaufoy. One of the world’s first interactive drama series.
BINGER FILM LAB
ANIMATION COURSE 1 YEAR, CITY LIT.
TORINO SCREENWRITERS LAB GOTHENBURG FILM FESTIVAL
EFA DIRECTORS MASTERCLASS THE SOUL OF THE ACTOR
Art works by Fran Lea – https://www.saatchiart.com/en-gb/franlea
