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Mike Leigh Biography

Birth Name:Mike Leigh

Birth Place:Brocket Hall, Welwyn, Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom

Profession Director, Writer, Actor

Fast Facts

Is a Distinguished Supporter of the British Humanist Association
Was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for his services to film in 1993
Studied film production at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, the Camberwell School of Art and the Central School of Art and Design
Began writing and directing his own plays in 1965, completing nine of them before creating "Bleak Moments," which would become the basis for his first film
Quote: "I've long since stopped worrying about how I'm portrayed in the press because ultimately it's not that important․ Everyone who knows me knows I do what I do with the greatest integrity․"
Quote: "For me, that's the turn-on of the whole business of making these films; going on this journey, discovering for myself what it is that I'm after, with all its concomitant surprises․"
Began his career as a director and playwright for numerous high profile stage productions before moving on to film and television in the 1970s
Known for his realism and gritty directing style, his most noted works include "Life is Sweet," "Naked," and "Vera Drake," among others
Admits that most of his best works never have formal scripts, as actors are given the authority to improvise their characters under his overall control

Awards

1972Gold Hugo-Best Feature: nominated
1972Golden Leopard-: winner
1984Reader Jury of the "Zitty"-: winner
1984Gold Hugo-Best Feature: nominated
1987Best European Short Film-Best European Short Film: winner
1988BAFTA Film Award-Best Short Film: nominated
1988Outstanding Film of the Year-Outstanding Film of the Year: nominated
1988Panorama Short Film Award - Special Mention-: winner
1988Silver Medallion Award-: nominated
1988FIPRESCI Prize-Parallel Sections: winner
1989Jury Prize-Best Film: nominated
1989Golden Spike-Best Film: nominated
1990Peter Sellers Award for Comedy-: winner
1990Independent Spirit Award-Best Foreign Film: nominated
1991Golden Charybdis-: winner
1992Bodil-Best European Film (Bedste europæiske film): winner
1992Independent Spirit Award-Best Foreign Film: nominated
1992NSFC Award-Best Director: nominated
1993Best Director-: winner
1993Palme d'Or-: nominated
1993Gold Hugo-Best Feature: nominated
1993Best International Film-: winner
1993NYFCC Award-Best Director: nominated
1993Metro Media Award-: winner
1994Alexander Korda Award for Best British Film-: nominated
1994Independent Spirit Award-Best Foreign Film: nominated
1996ACCA-Best Director: nominated
1996ACCA-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
1996BSFC Award-Best Director: winner
1996Prize of the Ecumenical Jury-: winner
1996Palme d'Or-: winner
1996LAFCA Award-Best Director: winner
1997ASECAN Award-Best Foreign Film: winner
1997Oscar-Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen: nominated
1997Oscar-Best Director: nominated
1997Honorable Mention-Best Foreign Film: winner
1997BAFTA Film Award-Best Screenplay - Original: winner
1997David Lean Award for Direction-: nominated
1997BAFTA Film Award-Best Film: nominated
1997Alexander Korda Award for Best British Film-: winner
1997CFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
1997Chlotrudis Award-Best Director: nominated
1997César-Best Foreign Film (Meilleur film étranger): nominated
1997DGA Award-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures: nominated
1997Independent Spirit Award-Best Foreign Film: winner
1997Fotogramas de Plata-Best Foreign Film (Mejor Película Extranjera): winner
1997Critics Award-Best Foreign Film: winner
1997Goya-Best European Film (Mejor Película Europea): winner
1997Guild Film Award - Silver-Foreign Film (Ausländischer Film): winner
1997Humanitas Prize-Feature Film Category: winner
1997Silver Ribbon-Best Foreign Director (Regista del Miglior Film Straniero): winner
1997ALFS Award-British Director of the Year: winner
1997Best Film-International Competition: nominated
1997NSFC Award-Best Director: nominated
1997Critics Award-Best Foreign Film (Melhor Filme Estrangeiro): winner
1997Audience Award-Best Foreign Film (Melhor Filme Estrangeiro): winner
1997Golden Satellite Award-Best Director: nominated
1997Tokyo Grand Prix-: nominated
1997Youth Jury Award - Special Mention-Competition: winner
1997Golden Spike-Best Film: nominated
1997Silver Spike-Best Film: winner
1997WGA Award (Screen)-Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen: nominated
1998Silver Condor-Best Foreign Film (Mejor Película Extranjera): nominated
1998Kinema Junpo Award-Best Foreign Language Film: winner
1998Readers' Choice Award-Best Foreign Language Film: winner
1998Premio Guarani-Best Foreign Film: winner
1999NYFCC Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
1999NYFCC Award-Best Director: winner
1999Golden Lion-: nominated
1999VVFP Award-Best Director: winner
2000Oscar-Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen: nominated
2000BAFTA Film Award-Best Screenplay - Original: nominated
2000Alexander Korda Award for Best British Film-: nominated
2000British Independent Film Award-Best Director: nominated
2000CFCA Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2000Independent Spirit Award-Best Foreign Film: nominated
2000NSFC Award-Best Director: winner
2000Panorama Jury Prize-: winner
2001Evening Standard British Film Award-Best Film: winner
2001ALFS Award-British Director of the Year: nominated
2001ALFS Award-British Screenwriter of the Year: nominated
2002Palme d'Or-: nominated
2002Gold Hugo-Best Feature: nominated
2002EFA People's Choice Award-Best European Director: nominated
2002European Film Award-European Director: nominated
2003ALFS Award-British Director of the Year: nominated
2003ALFS Award-British Screenwriter of the Year: nominated
2003Golden Satellite Award-Best Screenplay, Original: nominated
2004British Independent Film Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2004British Independent Film Award-Best Director: winner
2004SDFCS Award-Best Screenplay, Original: winner
2004Seattle Film Critics Award-Best Screenplay, Original: nominated
2004Golden Lion-: winner
2005Oscar-Best Achievement in Directing: nominated
2005Oscar-Best Writing, Original Screenplay: nominated
2005Honorable Mention-Best Foreign Film: winner
2005Alexander Korda Award for Best British Film-: nominated
2005BAFTA Film Award-Best Screenplay - Original: nominated
2005David Lean Award for Direction-: winner
2005Golden Kinnaree Award-Best Film: nominated
2005Chlotrudis Award-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
2005David-Best European Film (Miglior Film dell'Unione Europea): nominated
2005DGGB Award-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in British Film: nominated
2005Evening Standard British Film Award-Best Film: winner
2005ALFS Award-British Director of the Year: winner
2005ALFS Award-British Screenwriter of the Year: winner
2006Bodil-Best Non-American Film (Bedste ikke-amerikanske film): nominated
2006Robert-Best Non-American Film (Årets ikke-amerikanske film): nominated
2008EDA Award-Best Writing, Original Screenplay: nominated
2008EDA Award-Best Director: nominated
2008Golden Berlin Bear-: nominated
2008BSFC Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2008ICP Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2008ICP Award-Best Director: nominated
2008LAFCA Award-Best Screenplay: winner
2008NYFCC Award-Best Director: winner
2008NYFCC Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2008Most Enjoyable Film (Theatre Owners)-: winner
2008International Competition-Best Director: winner
2008Sydney Film Prize-Best Film: nominated
2009Oscar-Best Writing, Original Screenplay: nominated
2009Chlotrudis Award-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
2009Chlotrudis Award-Best Director: winner
2009Gaudí Award-Best European Film (Millor Pel·lícula Europea): nominated
2009ICS Award-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
2009INOCA-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
2009INOCA-Best Director: nominated
2009ALFS Award-British Film of the Year: nominated
2009ALFS Award-British Director of the Year: nominated
2009NSFC Award-Best Screenplay: winner
2009NSFC Award-Best Director: winner
2010British Independent Film Award-Best Director: nominated
2010Prize of the Ecumenical Jury - Special Mention-: winner
2010Palme d'Or-: nominated
2010CinEuphoria-Top Ten of the Year - Audience Award: winner
2010ICP Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2010WAFCA Award-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
2011Felix-Best Director: nominated
2011Movies for Grownups Award-Best Screenwriter: nominated
2011Oscar-Best Writing, Original Screenplay: nominated
2011EDA Award-Best Writing, Original Screenplay: nominated
2011Amanda-Best Foreign Feature Film (Årets utenlandske spillefilm): winner
2011Alexander Korda Award for Best British Film-: nominated
2011Critics Choice Award-Best Screenplay, Original: nominated
2011David-Best European Film (Miglior Film dell'Unione Europea): nominated
2011Evening Standard British Film Award-Best Film: nominated
2011Critics Award-Best Foreign Film: winner
2011Gold Derby Film Award-Original Screenplay: nominated
2011ICS Award-Best Original Screenplay: winner
2011ICS Award-Best Director: nominated
2011INOCA-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
2011Silver Ribbon-Best European Director (Regista del Miglior Film Europeo): nominated
2011ALFS Award-British Director of the Year: nominated
2012Bodil-Best Non-American Film (Bedste ikke-amerikanske film): nominated
2012Chlotrudis Award-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
2012Chlotrudis Award-Best Director: nominated
2012Robert-Best Non-American Film (Årets ikke-amerikanske film): nominated
2012Gopo Award-Best European Film: nominated
2014Britannia Award-John Schlesinger Britannia Award for Excellence in Directing: winner
2014British Independent Film Award-Best Director: nominated
2014Palme d'Or-: nominated
2014EuroCinema Hawai'i Award-Best Film: nominated
2014SFFCC Award-Best Director: nominated
2014SFFCC Award-Best Screenplay, Original: nominated
2014Asecan Award-Special Mention: winner
2014Best Director-: winner
2015La Cabina Award-Best Film: nominated
2015ALFS Award-Director of the Year: nominated
2015NSFC Award-Best Director: nominated
2016Eagle-Best European Film (Najlepszy Film Europejski): nominated
2017Felix-Best Director: nominated
2017Felix-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
2018Human Rights Film Network Award - Special Mention-: winner
2018Golden Lion-Best Film: nominated
2019Educacine Award-: winner
2019Silvestre Award-Best Feature Film: nominated
2019ARRI/OSRAM Award-Best International Film: nominated
2024Gotham Independent Film Award-Best International Feature: nominated
2024NBR Award-Best Original Screenplay: winner
2024SFBAFCC Award-Best Director: nominated
2024SFBAFCC Award-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
2024Golden Seashell-Best Film: nominated
2024SLFCA Award-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
2025EDA Award-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
2025BAFTA Film Award-Outstanding British Film of the Year: nominated
2025Black Reel-Outstanding Independent Film: nominated
2025Independent Spirit Award-Best International Film: nominated
2025Girls on Film Award-Girls on Film Ally Award sponsored by IMDb: winner
2025ICS Award-Best Original Screenplay: winner
2025ARRI/OSRAM Award-Best International Film: nominated
2025Satellite Award-Best Screenplay, Original: nominated
2025Aurora Award-: nominated