Nick Willing has a varied filmography. Although he is best known for his popular fantasy television shows, he has also written and directed theatrically released movies, thrillers, social realist dramas, before recently focussing on feature documentaries. The one common thread is innovative story telling.

In the last two years he has brought his experience as a screenwriter of fiction to help tell factual stories. In ‘Secrets & Stories,’ Nick spent a year interviewing and filming his mother, the painter Paula Rego, to better understand her and her work. He discovered that she had kept major secrets about her life from him, secrets that helped explain much of her life, and his. The experience was so affecting that it’s hugely developed Nick’s interest in the intimate and insightful power of documentary. The film won both the Grierson and Royal Television Society awards for best Arts program and encouraged him to stay in the medium to make ‘Unstoppable, Sean Scully & The Art of Everything,’ an equally probing and revelatory film about the outspoken abstract painter.

Interestingly, Nick’s experience in drama has helped in the factual arena. In particular, drawing testimony from evasive and challenging subjects - a skill developed from directing dramatic actors. And his many years as a screenwriter, honing story, have translated directly to the story telling challenges of documentary editing. His goal is to produce powerful, revelatory and entertaining films which get under the skin of their subjects, to not only show what makes them tick, but also expose how their worlds work.

︎︎︎ IMDb
︎︎︎ Wikipedia
︎︎︎ Kismet Film Company

Awards:

Winner, Royal Television Society Award, Arts for Paula Rego, Secrets & Stories (2017)
Winner, The Grierson Trust British Documentary Award, Best Documentary on the Arts for Paula Rego, Secrets & Stories (2017)
Nominated, Canadian Screen Awards, Best Direction in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series for Baby Sellers (2013)
Nominated, Gemini Awards, Best Writing in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series for Alice (2009)
Winner, Accolade Competition, Honorable Mention, Direction for Tin Man (2007)
Nominated, BAFTA Children's Award, Best Drama for Jackanory (1965), for episode The Magician of Samarkand (2007)
Winner, Banff Rockie Award, Children's Programs for Jackanory (1965), for episode The Magician of Samarkand (2007)
Nominated, Rondo Statuette, Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards, Best TV Presentation for Tin Man (2007)
Winner, Paris Film Festival, Grand Prix for Hypnotic (AKA Close Your Eyes) (2004)
Winner, Valenciennes International Festival of Action and Adventure Films,  Best Director for Close Your Eyes (2004)
Nominated, Luxembourg International Film Festival, Grand Prize of European Fantasy Film in Gold for Close Your Eyes (2003)
Nominated, Méliès d'Argent at Sweden Fantastic Film Festival for Close Your Eyes (2002)
Nominated, Fantasporto, International Fantasy Film Award, Best Film for Close Your Eyes (2002)
Winner, Sweden Fantastic Film Festival, Grand Prize of European Fantasy Film in Silver for Close Your Eyes (2002)
Winner, Fantafestival, Grand Prize of European Fantasy Film in Gold for Photographing Fairies (1998)
Winner, Fantasporto, Grand Prize of European Fantasy Film in Silver for Photographing Fairies (1998)
Nominated, Fantasporto, International Fantasy Film Award, Best Film for Photographing Fairies (1998)
Winner, Gérardmer Film Festival, International Critics Award for Photographing Fairies (1998)
Winner, Gérardmer Film Festival, Special Jury Prize for Photographing Fairies (1998)
Nominated, Dinard British Film Festival, Golden Hitchcock for Photographing Fairies (1998)
Nominated, Sitges - Catalonian International Film Festival, Best Film for Photographing Fairies (1998)
Winner, WorldFest Houston, Gold Award, Outstanding Comedy Series for Gophers! (1990)
Winner, Krakow Film Festival, Don Quixote Award - Special Mention for Life Class (1987)
Winner, Krakow Film Festival, Special Jury Prize for Life Class (1987)

Based in London, UK