Kieran Evans

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Kieran Evans
Born
Kieran John Evans

(1969-02-08) 8 February 1969 (age 52)
St Davids, Pembrokeshire, Wales
OccupationFilm director, screenwriter
Years active1995–present
Children2

Kieran John Evans (born 8 February 1969)[1] is a Welsh film director and screenwriter whose work includes music videos, film and documentaries. His 2012 film Kelly + Victor, produced by Janine Marmot, saw Evans awarded the BAFTA Award for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer at the 2014 BAFTAs.

Early life[]

Evans was born in St Davids, Pembrokeshire and attended Ysgol Dewi Sant.[2] He later studied art in Carmarthen and Newport before moving to London. While in London he found work as a runner for Steven Spielberg's animation company before progressing through the industry until he found work making promotional music videos.[2]

Career[]

In 1998 he directed the video for the single Breathe by Kylie Minogue. He continued to work within the music industry and became a regular collaborator for Heavenly Films, a sister project of British record label Heavenly Recordings.[3] This led Evans to work with many of the label's artists. In 2002, while working for Heavenly Films, Evans collaborated with Paul Kelly on the film Finisterre, a documentary based on modern London that accompanied the album by the same name by the British indie band Saint Etienne.[3]

In 2008 Evans released From Here to Before, a portrait of British folk singer Vashti Bunyan, which was nominated for the 2008 Grierson Award.[3] Evans' connections within the music industry led him to chronicle the first of three documentaries based on the alternative music festival scene when he directed a television film of the 2008 Isle of Wight Festival. He followed this the following year when he, along with , filmed Bestival 2009. In 2010 he returned to the Isle of Wight, where he documented the 2010 Festival, co-directed with Askem and .[3]

A producer who had seen Finisterre recommended that Evans direct a drama, possibly connected to Wales.[2] This resulted in him approaching Aberystwyth-based writer Niall Griffiths whose literature he was familiar with. Griffiths sent him a copy of his novel Kelly + Victor and Evans was inspired to turn it into a feature. Griffiths allowed Evans free rein to adapt the script, which he changed from a dual story told separately from the perspective of the two protagonists to a more traditional merged narrative. The film received a limited release, but opened to mainly positive reviews.[4] This, his first directorial feature, led to a nomination for a BAFTA Award for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer. He won the award in this category at the 2014 BAFTAs.[2]

Evans continued working with the music industry, and the year after releasing Kelly + Victor he directed a documentary for Welsh alternative rock band the Manic Street Preachers entitled Culture, Alienation, Boredom and Despair.[5] This was followed by a trilogy of music videos for the band from their 2013 album Rewind the Film.[6][7] His video for the single Show Me the Wonder won the band the 2013 Q Awards for Best Video.[8]

In 2014, Evans reunited with Paul Kelly for Heavenly Films, co-directing the Dexys documentary Nowhere Is Home, shot during the final nights of Dexys' residency at the Duke of York's Theatre in London.[9]

Evans's next project is Be Pure Be Vigilant Behave, documenting the Manic Street Preachers' Holy Bible anniversary tour. It will premiere in Cardiff in October 2016.

References[]

  1. ^ Adam Jacques (14 October 2014). "How We Met: Kieran Evans & Huw Stephens". The Independent.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c d "Bafta win for Pembrokeshire-born director Kieran Evans". BBC. 17 February 2014. Retrieved 19 February 2014.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b c d "About Heavenly Films". heavenlyfilms.net. Archived from the original on 19 February 2015. Retrieved 23 February 2014.
  4. ^ Rhys, Steffan (16 February 2014). "The Baftas: Welsh director Kieran Evans wins award for Kelly and Victor film". walesonline.co.uk. Retrieved 20 February 2014.
  5. ^ "Manic Street Preachers documentary to get full-length screening in May". NME. 23 April 2013. Retrieved 23 February 2014.
  6. ^ "Manic Street Preachers 'Show Me The Wonder' by Kieran Evans". promonews.tv. Retrieved 19 February 2014.
  7. ^ Ausitn, Craig. "Imitation of Life: In Conversation with Kieran Evans". walesartsreview.org. Retrieved 19 February 2014.
  8. ^ "Q Awards 2013 – the winners!". Q. Archived from the original on 24 October 2013. Retrieved 19 February 2014.
  9. ^ YouTube – Nowhere Is Home Trailer

External links[]

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