Pinny Grylls is a British documentary filmmaker. She is known for co-directing Grand Theft Hamlet, a 2024 feature documentary shot exclusively inside a video game, with Sam Crane.[1] The film won the Best Documentary Jury Prize at the 2024 SXSW Film Festival.[2][3][4]
Pinny Grylls | |
---|---|
Born | England, United Kingdom |
Occupation | Documentary filmmaker |
Notable work | Grand Theft Hamlet (2024) |
Career
editIn 2002, Grylls and Rachel Millward co-founded the Birds Eye View Film Festival.[5] BEV showcased films by emerging women filmmakers from around the world and became the UK's first major film festival for female filmmakers.
Grylls directed the 2007 multi award-winning short documentary Peter and Ben.[6] It screened at London International Film Festival[7] and IDFA[8] where it was nominated for the prestigious Silver Cub Award. It won the Best Documentary Award at Aspen Shorts Fest 2008 and 3 awards at the 5th London Short Film Festival – the FourDocs Award for Best Documentary the VX Auteur Award and 'Highly Commended' for the Best Film Award. It also won the SXSouthWest Click Grand Jury Prize in 2008. It also screened in the International Competition at Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival 2008. In 2009, it won the Shooting People Werner Herzog Competition.[9]
In 2010, she directed a First Cut episode for Channel 4; "Who Do You Think You Were?" explored the phenomenon of past life regression.[10]
On 19 December 2010, Grylls was featured in an Observer article as one of a crop of 'innovative daring directors' making short films for the web.[11]
In 2012, Pinny Grylls made The Hour[12] for the The National Theatre, and in 2014 Becoming Zerlina[13] for The Royal Opera House. In 2015, she made Thank you Women[14] for The Guardian. In 2021, she made Skin Hunger for Theatre Company Dante or Die.[15]
She is the director of Hear My Voice, a feature film.[16] It is also supported by the Future Foundation for London.[17]
In 2014, Grylls wrote The Very Best Sheepdog, illustrated by Rosie Wellesley and published by Pavilion Books.[18]
In 2024, Grylls co-directed Grand Theft Hamlet with Sam Crane. The film is about the staging of a production of Hamlet inside of Grand Theft Auto Online during a COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in the UK in 2021.[19] It premiered at the 2024 SXSW Film Festival, where it won the Jury Award for Best Documentary Feature.[19][20][21][22][23][24]
Personal life
editAs a child, Grylls attended the Children's Film Unit and Westminster School. She studied anthropology and archaeology at Hertford College, University of Oxford. She is the daughter of British artist Vaughan Grylls and theatre designer Gillian Daniell, and stepdaughter of publisher Polly Powell. She is married to actor Sam Crane.[25]
References
edit- ^ "'Grand Theft Hamlet' Review: A Captivating Staging of Shakespeare in 'Grand Theft Auto' Changes the Game". 11 March 2024.
- ^ "'Bob Trevino Likes It,' 'Grand Theft Hamlet' Win SXSW Jury Prizes (Complete Winners List)". 14 March 2024.
- ^ "Play's the Thing in Grand Theft Hamlet". The Austin Chronicle. 9 March 2024. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
- ^ Halligan, Fionnuala; Kay, Jeremy; Tabbara, Mona (24 July 2024). "'Grand Theft Hamlet': SXSW Review". Screen. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
- ^ "History". Birds Eye View Film.
- ^ "Peter and Ben". IMDb. 12 October 2008.
- ^ "My Top 10 scenes: Pinny Grylls". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
- ^ oberon.nl, Oberon Amsterdam. "Peter and Ben | IDFA" – via idfa.nl.
- ^ Pahle, Rebecca (21 July 2009). "Shooting People Invites Encounters With Werner Herzog". MovieMaker Magazine. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
- ^ "TV review: Who Do You Think You Were". The Guardian. 3 September 2010. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
- ^ "Short films: Meet the directors who grab your attention and don't let go". The Guardian. 19 December 2010.
- ^ "The hour | Psyche Films".
- ^ "Inside Opera: Becoming Zerlina - from first rehearsal to stage (The Royal Opera)". YouTube. 12 May 2014.
- ^ Grylls, Pinny; Riddell, Juliet; Phillips, Charlie (8 March 2015). "Thank you women: 'You looked at me and realised what I needed' – video". The Guardian.
- ^ "Dante or die".
- ^ "Hear My Voice ⋆ Hear My Voice". Hear My Voice.
- ^ "Hear My Voice".
- ^ https://www.amazon.co.uk/Very-Best-Sheepdog-Pinny-Grylls/dp/1843652196 [bare URL]
- ^ a b Zilko, Christian (13 March 2024). "'Grand Theft Hamlet' Filmmakers Talk Staging Shakespeare Inside 'GTA': 'If They Thought We Were Sh*t, They Were Gonna Shoot Us'". IndieWire. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
- ^ "'Bob Trevino Likes It', 'Grand Theft Hamlet' top SXSW juried award winners". screendaily.com. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
- ^ Wise, Damon (12 March 2024). "'Grand Theft Hamlet' Review: To Be Or Not To Be Shot While Staging A Shakespeare Classic – SXSW". Deadline. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
- ^ Rowles, Dustin (13 March 2024). "'Grand Theft Hamlet' Is Heartfelt, Charming, and Like Nothing You've Ever Seen". Pajiba (in Latin). Retrieved 24 July 2024.
- ^ "Canada's Authority on Music, Film and Entertainment". Exclaim!. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
- ^ "Grand Theft Hamlet". SXSW 2024 Schedule. 10 March 2024. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
- ^ Interview with Sam Crane, Evening Times, 21 July 2009
External links
edit- Official website
- Pinny Grylls at IMDb
- 'Peter and Ben' on YouTube