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Neil Hunter
Neil Hunter's Sparkle
Neil Hunter was born and brought up on a farm in coastal Essex. After reading Modern History at Oxford University, he taught at schools in India and Nepal. Back in England, in 1987, he taught English as a Foreign Language in London. For the housing charity Shelter, he co-wrote a book on the private rented sector. Meanwhile, he enrolled in an evening course in 16mm film-making. In 1992 he wrote and directed a half hour film, TELL ME NO LIES, which met with some success.
In collaboration with Tom Hunsinger (with whom he worked on TELL ME NO LIES) he embarked on a feature film, BOYFRIENDS, which was written after an exhaustive process of interviews and improvisations, and shot on a shoestring in 1995. The film, winner of the award for Best Feature at the 1996 Turin Lesbian and Gay Film Festival, enjoyed a small art-house release in the UK, and was broadcast on Channel Four. It was distributed in America by First Run Features.
With Tom Hunsinger, Neil then co-wrote and directed LAWLESS HEART. The film, again based on improvisation and starring Bill Nighy, had its world premiere at the 2001 Locarno International Film Festival, where it won the Prix CICAE/Arte. At Edinburgh, it was selected as one of the Best of the Fest, and was the Time Out Gala feature at the London International Film Festival. It was released in the UK in June 2002, and won Best Screenplay at the Evening Standard British Film Awards and the British Independent Film Awards (and was nominated in numerous other categories). It was released in America in March 2003.
In 2006 he co-wrote and directed SPARKLE for Magic Light Pictures, starring Bob Hoskins, Stockard Channing, Leslie Manville, Shaun Evans, Amanda Ryan and Tony Head. It was released in the UK in 2007.
Tom and Neil co-wrote THREE WAY SPLIT for the UK Film Council, based on workshops with James MacAvoy, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Juliet Stephenson.
Currently, Neil and Tom are developing WOMAN’S WORLD, based on the graphic novel by Graham Rawle.
With Rupert Jones, he has written COSSACKS for The Bureau. A contemporary romantic comedy, it was performed at The Script Factory as part of the 2002 London Film Festival. A short film they co-wrote, THE SICKIE, has gone to numerous festivals and won several awards. They are currently developing a pair of concept-driven low-budget thrillers: TARANTULA and QUARANTINE.
With Natalie Sirett, Neil wrote THE SYCAMORES, a mystery-drama set in the north-east in the 1970s, for Missing In Action. They are currently working on a contemporary thriller, COLD LIGHT OF DAY.
Neil occasionally teaches screenwriting for the Arvon Foundation, and has twice mentored for Moonstone.
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