Adrian Sturges

Producer Adrian Sturges has a strong track record of working with directors who make the leap from shorts to feature films. He produced Rupert Wyatt’s prize winning Cinema Extreme short Get the Picture before working with him on The Escapist, starring Brian Cox, Joe Fiennes, Dominic Cooper and Damian Lewis.

The film premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival and won the British Independent Film Award for Best Achievement in Production.

Other awards include Brian Cox winning the Scottish BAFTA for Best Actor. Similarly, he produced Gareth Lewis’ short film Normal for Norfolk for the UK Film Council, before progressing on to producing Gareth’s feature debut The Baker, starring Damian Lewis and Michael Gambon. In 2008 he co-produced Sam Taylor-Wood’s Love You More, written by Patrick Marber which premiered in Cannes that year before going onto more than eighty film festivals and winning numerous prizes. Adrian is currently in post production on J Blakeson’s 'The Disappearance of Alice Creed'.

Your connection to the British Council?

The British Council selected me as the UK’s ‘Producer on the Move’ at the Cannes Film Festival this year which was a real honour. We had a series of meetings with all the other producers and I got a tremendous amount out of it – we talked a lot about our various experiences getting films made and distributed and I’m sure the connections we all made will lead to some important collaborations in the future, as well as a few glasses of Rosé being shared at film festivals in the future. My favourite thing about the scheme was having small badges with our faces printed on being given out at the UK Pavilion. This lead to endless abuse from friends and colleagues and made me wish I’d chosen the picture of myself a bit more carefully!

Your current projects?

I’m in post production on 'The Disappearance of Alice of Creed' – a kidnap thriller starring Gemma Arterton ('Quantum of Solace'), Eddie Marsan ('Happy Go Lucky') and Martin Compston ('Sweet Sixteen')

What originally turned you onto film?

I loved watching Hollywood blockbusters when I was young in our local flea pit, but I think it was seeing 'Three Colours Blue' at the Cambridge Arts Cinema during a university open day that really opened my mind to the possibilities of cinema.

Career high so far?

The Palm D’Or nomination for 'Love You More' and winning the Production BIFA for 'The Escapist' (if I’m allowed two!)

Your first job in the film industry?
I was a post production runner on 'Hideous Kinky' for two weeks during the Easter holidays before my finals when really I should have been revising.

If I knew then what I know now…
It’s vital to see as many films and plays, read as many scripts as you can and never ever stop thinking about the audience at any point in the filmmaking process.

Your favourite British film?
'The Red Shoes' – I love it’s spectacle and emotion – pure cinema.

If you could have directed any film ever made, which one would it be?

'Bruno'. Just because I’d be laughing every day at work and I’d like the sense of danger.

What’s the first film you remember seeing?
In the cinema - Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

Your favourite line or scene from a film?
'I drink your milkshake' from 'There Will Be Blood'. Daniel Day Lewis’ performance is just amazing.

Favourite screen kiss?
Brief Encounter.

Favourite screen hero/villain? Why?

Kim Jong Il in 'Team America'. No justification required.

Who would play you in the film about your life?
Matt Damon! Or Orson Welles before he got too fat.