Debbie Howard

Debbie directed all twenty episodes of season two of Broadcast Award-winning THE WORLD ACCORDING TO GRANDPA for Saffron Cherry which earned her a Rockie Nomination. This summer she directed two episodes of the 1960's period crime drama SISTER BONIFACE MYSTERIES for BBC Studios/Britbox. She has directed several episodes of both EMMERDALE and CORONATION STREET for ITV and DOCTORS for the BBC. Debbie's latest BFI Network funded short film SAFE was produced by Rachel Robey at Wellington Films starring James Nelson Joyce and Laura Bayston. It is currently making a buzz on the film festival circuit having picked up many awards so far including Best Director and Best Screenplay at the BAFTA qualifying Aesthetica Short Film Festival, Best Director at Oxford Shorts and Best Actor for James Nelson Joyce at Seville Indie Film Festival. Debbie was an actor for twenty-five years before moving into writing and directing when she founded Big Buddha Films. Her award-winning shorts have screened worldwide, including PEEKABOO starring Lesley Sharp and Shaun Dooley. She made the critically acclaimed and BIFA long listed feature doc STILL LOVED and was then commissioned to make ABSENT FROM OUR OWN WEDDING by Real Stories. She is currently in development on her first feature film COLD with Wellington Films and a TV drama THE RETURN. Debbie was selected for the 2014 WFTV Mentoring Scheme and completed Filmonomics with Birds Eye View. She is keen to champion other women in the film industry and is a member of Cinesiters. She is a full voting member of BAFTA.