David Leon is an award winning Writer/Director, named by Screen International as one of their “Stars of Tomorrow.”
His short film Man and Boy won Best Narrative Short at the Tribeca Film Festival and was shortlisted for both an Oscar and a Bafta.
David’s debut feature Orthodox, which he wrote and directed, starring Stephen Graham and Michael Smiley was shortlisted for the Douglas Hickox award by Bifa for “Best debut Director” and the “Discovery award”.
David recently completed a diptych of short films, ‘Stable’ & ‘Hyem’ which serve to reflect themes around a post industrial North East. Stable was awarded Gold at the Kinsale Shark awards for ‘Best Short Film’ & ‘Best Direction’.
David studied photography under Magnum at UAL, and has a background in acting.
He is currently in development on his next feature “Land of hope and Glory” with BBC Film and adapting for Television the novel “You could do something amazing with your life” the account of the final days of vigilante gunman Raoul Moat.
In addition he is working alongside The Forge to develop an original drama “The Listener” - a story inspired by a real life prison psychologist, tasked with the responsibility of rehabilitating traveller inmates, which he will write and direct.
He is an alumni of the Berlinale talent labs and was selected as part of the BFi Network x Bafta crew.