John Hay (UK film director)
Encyclopedia
John Hay is an English film director who was born in Kolkata
in India where his mother, Elizabeth Partridge, worked as a foreign correspondent for the News Chronicle
. He returned to England and was raised in Sussex where he started making films at the age of twelve.
He studied Film and Drama at the University of Reading
where he was awarded a First for his quirky, comedic short about Bertrand Russell
's meditative essay on a table.
After leaving university, he began directing for UK television, making dramas such as Looking Back
and two adaptations of Heathcote Williams
' epic poems, Falling for a Dolphin and Autogeddon
, which starred Academy Award-winner Jeremy Irons
. Autogeddon
was critically revered and won the Jury Prize at Shanghai which led to Hay working with Al Pacino
on Every Time I Cross the Tamar I Get into Trouble, a short about Pacino’s personally-financed feature The Local Stigmatic
, which was based on a stage play by Heathcote Williams. He worked again with Pacino in 1996 on Looking for Richard
, starring Kevin Spacey
and Alec Baldwin
.
With his writing partner, Rik Carmichael, he cowrote and directed a critically acclaimed adaptation of a Jim Corbett
story, The Man-Eating Leopard of Rudraprayag which starred Jason Flemyng
and Jodhi May
. He also directed an adaptation of the children’s classic, Stig of the Dump
for the BBC
which won a BAFTA and an EMMY.
He is perhaps best known for his film, There's Only One Jimmy Grimble
starring Robert Carlyle
and Ray Winstone
, which won the Crystal Bear for Best Film at the Berlin Film Festival in 2001 and ten other first prizes including the Golden Griffin for best feature at Giffoni Film Festival
.
He is currently directing Journey Through Midnight, an adaptation of Whitbread-Award winner Jamila Gavin
's Wheel of Surya, the story of Indian Partition seen through the eyes of a child.
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
in India where his mother, Elizabeth Partridge, worked as a foreign correspondent for the News Chronicle
News Chronicle
The News Chronicle was a British daily newspaper. It ceased publication on 17 October 1960, being absorbed into the Daily Mail. Its offices were in Bouverie Street, off Fleet Street, London, EC4Y 8DP, England.-Daily Chronicle:...
. He returned to England and was raised in Sussex where he started making films at the age of twelve.
He studied Film and Drama at the University of Reading
University of Reading
The University of Reading is a university in the English town of Reading, Berkshire. The University was established in 1892 as University College, Reading and received its Royal Charter in 1926. It is based on several campuses in, and around, the town of Reading.The University has a long tradition...
where he was awarded a First for his quirky, comedic short about Bertrand Russell
Bertrand Russell
Bertrand Arthur William Russell, 3rd Earl Russell, OM, FRS was a British philosopher, logician, mathematician, historian, and social critic. At various points in his life he considered himself a liberal, a socialist, and a pacifist, but he also admitted that he had never been any of these things...
's meditative essay on a table.
After leaving university, he began directing for UK television, making dramas such as Looking Back
Looking Back
Looking Back is an autobiography written by the American author Lois Lowry, in which she uses photographs and accompanying text to construct a picture of her life....
and two adaptations of Heathcote Williams
Heathcote Williams
Heathcote Williams is an English poet, actor and award-winning playwright. He is also an intermittent painter, sculptor and long-time conjuror...
' epic poems, Falling for a Dolphin and Autogeddon
Autogeddon
Autogeddon is an album by Julian Cope released in 1994 via The Echo Label. According to the album's sleeve notes, written by Cope, it was "inspired by Heathcote Williams' epic poem of the same name and a little incident concerning my pregnant wife and £375,000 of yellow Ferrari in St...
, which starred Academy Award-winner Jeremy Irons
Jeremy Irons
Jeremy John Irons is an English actor. After receiving classical training at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, Irons began his acting career on stage in 1969, and has since appeared in many London theatre productions including The Winter's Tale, Macbeth, Much Ado About Nothing, The Taming of the...
. Autogeddon
Autogeddon
Autogeddon is an album by Julian Cope released in 1994 via The Echo Label. According to the album's sleeve notes, written by Cope, it was "inspired by Heathcote Williams' epic poem of the same name and a little incident concerning my pregnant wife and £375,000 of yellow Ferrari in St...
was critically revered and won the Jury Prize at Shanghai which led to Hay working with Al Pacino
Al Pacino
Alfredo James "Al" Pacino is an American film and stage actor and director. He is famous for playing mobsters, including Michael Corleone in The Godfather trilogy, Tony Montana in Scarface, Alphonse "Big Boy" Caprice in Dick Tracy and Carlito Brigante in Carlito's Way, though he has also appeared...
on Every Time I Cross the Tamar I Get into Trouble, a short about Pacino’s personally-financed feature The Local Stigmatic
The Local Stigmatic
The Local Stigmatic is a short film directed by David Wheeler and produced by and starring Al Pacino. It was filmed and edited during the late 1980s. It had a showing at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City in March 1990, but was never released theatrically...
, which was based on a stage play by Heathcote Williams. He worked again with Pacino in 1996 on Looking for Richard
Looking for Richard
Looking for Richard is a 1996 documentary film and the first film directed by Al Pacino. It is both a performance of selected scenes of William Shakespeare's Richard III and a broader examination of Shakespeare's continuing role and relevance in popular culture...
, starring Kevin Spacey
Kevin Spacey
Kevin Spacey, CBE is an American actor, director, screenwriter, producer, and crooner. He grew up in California, and began his career as a stage actor during the 1980s, before being cast in supporting roles in film and television...
and Alec Baldwin
Alec Baldwin
Alexander Rae "Alec" Baldwin III is an American actor who has appeared on film, stage, and television.Baldwin first gained recognition through television for his work in the soap opera Knots Landing in the role of Joshua Rush. He was a cast member for two seasons before his character was killed off...
.
With his writing partner, Rik Carmichael, he cowrote and directed a critically acclaimed adaptation of a Jim Corbett
Jim Corbett
James or Jim Corbett may refer to:*Jim Corbett , Edward James "Jim" Corbett , British-Indian hunter of man-eating tigers and leopards, conservationist, naturalist, photographer and author*James J...
story, The Man-Eating Leopard of Rudraprayag which starred Jason Flemyng
Jason Flemyng
Jason Iain Flemyng is an English actor. He is known for his film work, which has included roles in British films such as Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch , both for Guy Ritchie, as well as Hollywood productions such as Rob Roy along with the Alan Moore comic book adaptations From...
and Jodhi May
Jodhi May
Jodhi May is an English actress.-Early life:Born in Camden Town, London, May first acted at the age of 12 in 1988's A World Apart. The role earned her a Best Actress award at the 1988 Cannes Film Festival, shared with her co-stars Barbara Hershey and Linda Mvusi...
. He also directed an adaptation of the children’s classic, Stig of the Dump
Stig of the Dump
Stig of the Dump is a children's novel by Clive King published in 1963. It is regarded as a modern children's classic and is often read in schools. It has been twice adapted for television, in 1981 and in 2002.-Plot summary:...
for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
which won a BAFTA and an EMMY.
He is perhaps best known for his film, There's Only One Jimmy Grimble
There's Only One Jimmy Grimble
There's Only One Jimmy Grimble is a 2000 film set around Oldham, Greater Manchester, England. The film centred on one young boy's dream to play for Manchester City F.C.-Plot:...
starring Robert Carlyle
Robert Carlyle
Robert Carlyle, OBE is a Scottish film and television actor. He is known for a variety of roles including those in Trainspotting, Hamish Macbeth, The Full Monty, The World Is Not Enough, Angela's Ashes, The 51st State, and 28 Weeks Later...
and Ray Winstone
Ray Winstone
Raymond Andrew "Ray" Winstone is an English film and television actor. He is mostly known for his "tough guy" roles, beginning with that of Carlin in the 1979 film Scum and as Will Scarlet in the cult television adventure series Robin of Sherwood. He has also become well known as a voice over...
, which won the Crystal Bear for Best Film at the Berlin Film Festival in 2001 and ten other first prizes including the Golden Griffin for best feature at Giffoni Film Festival
Giffoni Film Festival
The Giffoni International Film Festival is the largest children’s film festival in Europe, and possibly the World. It takes place in the little Italian town of Giffoni Valle Piana in Southern Italy, close to Salerno. Over 2,000 children attend the festival from 39 countries around the world...
.
He is currently directing Journey Through Midnight, an adaptation of Whitbread-Award winner Jamila Gavin
Jamila Gavin
Jamila Gavin is a British writer born in Mussoorie, India in the foothills of the Himalayas.Her father was Indian and her mother English...
's Wheel of Surya, the story of Indian Partition seen through the eyes of a child.
Major works (as director)
- There's Only One Jimmy GrimbleThere's Only One Jimmy GrimbleThere's Only One Jimmy Grimble is a 2000 film set around Oldham, Greater Manchester, England. The film centred on one young boy's dream to play for Manchester City F.C.-Plot:...
(2001) - Stig of the DumpStig of the DumpStig of the Dump is a children's novel by Clive King published in 1963. It is regarded as a modern children's classic and is often read in schools. It has been twice adapted for television, in 1981 and in 2002.-Plot summary:...
(2002) - The Truth About LoveThe Truth About LoveThe Truth About Love is a 2004 film directed by John Hay.-Synopsis:In Bristol, as part of a drunken bet with her sister , a happily married Englishwoman sends an anonymous Valentine's Day card to her husband to see if he hides it...
(2004) - The Man-Eating Leopard of Rudraprayag (2005)
- Journey Through Midnight (2007)