Announcing our first cohort of directors taking part in Directors UK Inspire 2025-26, our year-round director-to-director mentoring programme.
Inspire takes place across the year and is designed to encourage Directors UK members across all genres to pursue and manage structured support from a more experienced director.
Read about the directors taking part below.
AJ Sykes
AJ is a writer/director from Glasgow who is passionate about crafting metaphysically grounded science fiction films. She also thrives as a director for hire, bringing others’ visions to life. Her visionary films have screened at over 50 international festivals, earning multiple awards and nominations. AJ holds an MA in Directing and Screenwriting and an MFA in Advanced Film Practice. She has shadowed several High-End TV directors and is currently developing multiple feature projects.
“I’m absolutely thrilled to be part of the Inspire scheme! Receiving mentorship and support at this pivotal stage in my career is exactly what I need as I make the leap from shorts to directing feature films and High-End TV. I’m especially excited to connect with my fellow directors and be part of an inspiring network as we all take the next steps in our careers.”
Agent: www.ra-agency.online
Instagram: @aj_sykes_1111
Alan De Pellette
Mentor: Richard Signy
Alan de Pellette is from Glasgow and was a successful comedy director before focussing on drama and film. He has directed more than 50 episodes of Hollyoaks and EastEnders, including gritty, heart wrenching and ground breaking storylines that have pushed creative boundaries and won numerous awards. Alan has also made-five critically acclaimed short films that have screened in festivals around the world and been picked up for international distribution. He is an alumni of Edinburgh International Film Festival Talent Lab and is currently in development on a feature film.
“I've built up incredible experience and confidence with high profile and impactful continuing drama and am ready to take the next step in my career, moving into longer form television drama and a feature film in active development. I am delighted to have Richard Signy as my mentor, someone who has directed shows that I love with a dynamism, flair and eye for detail that I aspire to. As I expand and hone my core skills and vision, I am excited to learn from Richard, seeing how he tackles the creative challenges of longer form storytelling, managing higher budgets and standing out in a competitive marketplace.”
Agent: https://fillinghamweston.com
X: @monsieurADP
Instagram: @monsieurADP
Bluesky: @monsieurADP
Alice Wickham
Mentor: Ursula McFarlane
Alice is a director, writer and artist based between Bristol and London. She has directed across observational documentary, retrospective documentary, and factual entertainment. She has broadcast directing credits for Netflix, the BBC, Channel 4, and Channel 5. Her short film Clambering Towards Us was shown at the Poetics Film Festival in Hastings. She is shooting a feature documentary about her grandmother who is 104. Alice recently discussed her creative process on Voices Radio. Click here to hear her episode.
“I adore the hybrid nature of filmmaking as an art form, and the way it brings together truth, style, sound and vision. I love listening and distilling essence, evocative world creating, and elevating stories that are thought provoking, beautiful and where possible inspirational. That motivates me. I am ambitious to do this in feature docs and perhaps one day drama. The chance to pair with an esteemed director whose personality and work so clearly embodies the thought, intelligence, and visual flair that I am interested in, is a dream come true, and a grounding reality. Thank you Directors UK!”
Instagram: @AliceWickhamdirects, @AliceWickhamStudio
Amal Al-Agroobi
Mentor: Clare Kilner
Amal Al-Agroobi is a London-based Arab filmmaker (UAE/Syria) with a passion for Arab-centric genre content and social-based human interest stories. She started her career in 2012 creating high-impact social documentaries, winning multiple competitions worldwide including the Al Jazeera documentary award. In 2016 she transitioned into genre cinema producing works with outstanding British talent like Amir El-Masry, Kola Bokkini and Orion Lee while extensively connecting with European co-productions, International and Arab markets. She was signed to LA-based Echo Lake management from 2020-2023 and now directs sci-fi, horror and fantasy for film and TV.
Her latest works: Ladies Coffee (2024), an Arab-British Lovecraftian short horror and Voicenotes from Palestine (2024), a short documentary are travelling film festivals in 2025. An extrovert, polymath and polyglot, she is a BAFTA member, Cinesisters core member, Film Fatales member and Directors UK member — naturally!
“I have been waiting eagerly and excitedly for the Inspire mentorship programme. My goal has been to direct fast-paced, High-end television in the genres I love most (fantasy, sci-fi, horror). In the last few years, whilst preparing to step up in the industry, I have been building my network, honing my skills and exercising my craft as a director. which would feed into being a working television director, I’m excited to learn from my mentor.”
Instagram: @amalalagroobi
Andrea M. Catinella
Mentor: Marc Price
Andrea M. Catinella is an Italian director based in London, specialising in action, sci-fi, horror, and drama. While earning a degree in Business and Management, Andrea pursued his passion for filmmaking by attending various film courses at MET, NFTS, and Raindance Film School. He began his career directing commercials for small brands and music videos, eventually transitioning to short films.
In 2022, Andrea wrote and directed The Truckman, a sci-fi short tackling climate change. The film gained international recognition, screening at festivals worldwide and is available on streaming platforms - In 2023, he directed The Interpreter a Turkish-British short drama that went on to win Best Short Film at the London Independent Film Festival in 2024. Andrea directed his first feature film in 2023 with the horror Island of Dolls 2, which is now available on Amazon Prime and Apple TV. 2024 became a breakout year, as Andrea directed six feature films spanning genres such as horror, action, and romantic comedy. Andrea expanded his expertise by directing three mini-series, further honing his ability to work across different formats.
“I am truly excited to be part of this year’s Inspire mentorship programme and to be mentored by Marc Price, a director I deeply admire for his mastery of complex fight sequences and intricate stunts. I applied to Inspire because I believe it will provide me with the tools and guidance I need to advance to the next stage of my career.”
Instagram: @i.am_amc
Ann Hawker
Mentor: Jill Robertson
Ann works across drama and documentary as an award-winning director. She has delivered landmark single films for international broadcasters including BBC, Channel 4, ITV, CNN and Discovery. She was nominated for Best Director and Best Film in the Film the House Awards with her drama, Fly Free, and won the JETS European co-production initiative with her feature project. Her drama shorts have shown at international festivals. She is known for her thoughtful, sensitive direction bringing underrepresented voices to the screen. Her prize-winning scripts have won accolades from the Academy Nicholl Fellowship and The Writer’s Lab.
“Being part of Inspire and working with my hugely talented and experienced mentor, Jill Robertson, is a fantastic opportunity, and will be an invaluable source of inspiration and guidance as I prepare to direct my drama feature An Austrian Holiday in the winter of 2025.”
Instagram: @annhawkerdirector
Atem Kuol
Mentor: Stephen Woolfenden
Atem Kuol is a South Sudanese-British writer and director based in London, specialising in TV drama and film. With several episodes of continuing drama under his belt, he has reached viewing figures of up to 3.9 million. Atem also brings over seven years of visual effects experience, blending technical expertise with a deep passion for human-centred storytelling. Currently, he is developing multiple TV shows and a feature film.
“Through the Inspire programme, I aim to build on my experience in continuing drama and transition into High-end television. With Stephen’s expertise, I am excited to learn from his experience with major broadcasters and refine my craft to create globally impactful stories.”
Instagram: @hbfilms1
Charlotte Conquest
Mentor: Ruth Carney
Charlotte is an accomplished theatre director with over 20 years of experience, now transitioning into television and film. Since 2022, she has directed multiple blocks on EastEnders and Hollyoaks and an award-winning short film in 2024. She is focused on building a career in High-end television drama, film, and comedy.
Without formal training or an established network in television, Charlotte has worked tirelessly to secure opportunities, learning on the job while bringing her creative vision and storytelling skills to the screen and successfully navigating the challenges of the industry. The Inspire mentorship programme offers Charlotte the guidance she needs to refine her craft and take the next step in her career.
“I’m beyond thrilled to join this year’s Inspire cohort and to be mentored by the remarkable Ruth Carney. Ruth’s ability to tell compelling stories on screen and the way she inspires and collaborates with actors on set resonate deeply with my own aspirations. I can’t wait to learn from her and grow as a director.”
Instagram: @charlotte.conquest
Emma Reynolds
Mentor: Mickey Jones
Emma Reynolds is an accomplished multi-camera TV and commercial director with a rich background in directing a variety of live and pre-recorded formats. After completing a multi-camera directing course for EastEnders, honing her skills on one of the UK’s most iconic continuing dramas, she discovered her passion for this genre. Driven by her creative vision and technical expertise, Emma is committed to pursuing her dream of directing soaps and continuing drama by adding this to her directing portfolio. With the support of the Inspire mentorship programme and an incredible mentor Mickey Jones, she is taking meaningful steps toward creating high-quality, engaging storytelling in this field.
“I applied to Inspire because I wanted to learn from the very best. Last year, I was lucky enough to be chosen for the EastEnders Multi-Camera Directing course, where Mickey Jones was one of my teachers. His fabulous directing style, amazing professionalism, and totally wonderful way with actors absolutely blew me away. When the programme gave me the chance to find a mentor, I knew I had to learn from him—and luckily, he agreed. I am so thrilled to be a part of the programme. Thank you Directors UK so much for giving me this opportunity.“
Instagram: @emmatalitha
Florian Kasperski
Mentor: Wayne Che Yip
Florian's always been into all sorts of stories: feature films, TV series, plays, comedy, dramedy, drama – he loves them all. When it comes to his own work, he’s always gravitated towards performance-driven fiction formats.
Florian grew up in Switzerland, where he shot his first action films on a flip phone and studied English and Film Studies. After a Master’s at the London Film School, he’s now based in London and works worldwide. In the last three years, he’s made seven short films and is now working on his first feature.
“I have been looking for a mentor to give me one-to-one insights into what it means to be a director for High-end television. I could not have found a more fitting one than Wayne Che Yip. I am excited to watch over his shoulder and I know that taking part in the Inspire programme will provide me with invaluable experience, allowing me to take the next step in my career.”
Instagram: @kinoflo_kasperski
Gabriela Staniszewska
Mentor: Prano Bailey-Bond
Gabriela is a multi-award-winning genre filmmaker living and working in Bristol, UK, having honed her craft on set in the AD department. Following the success of her most recent short films — the BFI network backed body-horror Yummy Mummy, and the action-packed winner of the IMDb script to screen award 2021 Choose Your Weapon, she was most recently commissioned to make Lís by the Bristol School of Acting for their inaugural graduating class of 2024, and is looking ahead to her debut feature-length project with Anima Entertainment.
“I am so keen to get stuck into the nitty-gritty of practical filmmaking with my incredible mentor, Prano – I am very grateful that the Director’s UK Inspire mentorship programme exists, to give us the space to do this.”
Instagram: @gabstaniszewska
George Coley
Mentor: Jon East
Based in London, George Coley is a writer and director specialising in narrative fiction and commercials. He has a penchant for horror, sci-fi, and fantasy stories, grounded in realistic character drama.
In 2023, George's short film Leech was showcased at FrightFest, Tampere, and Brooklyn Horror, as well as earning the British Horror Award for Achievement in Film on a Low Budget.
In commercials, George has carved out a niche in video game marketing, directing animated trailers and live-action commercials for the likes of Dune and A Quiet Place.
“I’m thrilled to take part in Inspire. Jon’s guidance will be invaluable as I take the next steps in my career, especially as I develop my first feature film and navigate the transition into long-form narrative entertainment.”
Instagram: @georgecoley
Ieuan Coombs
Mentor: Paul Andrew Williams
Ieuan is a London based writer/director specialising in fiction and documentaries. His recent short films, Old School and An Indirect Message, have featured at several BAFTA and BIFA qualifying festivals. Alongside his directing, Ieuan has worked as an editor since 2019, with his commercial clients including brands like MyProtein, Mercedes, and Ralph Lauren. He also has an acting background, having graduated from the Oxford School of Drama and performed in a range of media, from feature films to mini TV series. With his acting and editing experience, he brings a multifaceted approach to his directing.
“I applied to the Directors UK Inspire Scheme because it offered a valuable and structured opportunity to learn directly from a director I deeply respect, Paul Andrew Williams. His work is bold and inspirational — fingers crossed some of his talent and knowledge rubs off on me!”
Instagram: @ieuancoombs
Jason Branagan
Mentor: Phil Hawkins
Based in the South East, Jason is an award-winning Irish director. He has directed BBC’s EastEnders, RTÉ’s Fair City, and the comedy series, The Doireann Project. His films have screened at top-tier festivals, including Newport Beach Film Festival, Raindance, LA Shorts, and Galway Film Fleadh.
Jason is currently prepping his Screen Ireland-backed short film, Magic Markers, while developing his debut feature, The Others, with Northern Ireland Screen. With a proven track record in drama and comedy, Jason is now focused transitioning into High-end television and making his first feature film.
“I’m thrilled to be part of Inspire and to have the opportunity to work with my mentor, Phil Hawkins. With the support of Directors UK and Phil, I’m eager to deepen my craft, explore fresh perspectives, and take the next steps toward achieving my filmmaking goals in High-end television and feature filmmaking.”
Instagram: @jasonbranagandirector
Juri Ferri
Mentor: Francis Annan
Born and raised in Bergamo, Italy, Juri has been based in London since 2016. A graduate of the London Film School, his shorts UB-13 and Meidagen have screened at festivals all over the world, including in the Netherlands, France, Portugal, Australia and Brazil; the latter was acquired by ShortsTV for international release.
His latest short L’olandesa, shot in his native Bergamo, has recently started its journey on the festival circuit after premiering at the Rome Independent Film Festival. Juri is now preparing for another short in 2025 and developing his debut feature film.
“After completing three fiction short films and preparing for my next this year, I am now focusing on building a sustainable career as a professional director and transitioning from short films to features. The Inspire programme gives me an opportunity to gain insights from a mentor with profound knowledge of both the directing craft and wider industry, helping me build a career that stays true to my creative ambitions.”
Kirsty Hines-Mackay
Mentor: Saul Metzstein
Glasgow based director/writer/actor Kirsty has directed several short films and broadcast television, including CBBC’s Lagging, CBeebies’s Olga da Polga and BBC Alba’s FUNC. She also directed 2nd Unit for US Feature Man and Witch.
With a passion for drama and comedy, she loves collaborating with talented creatives-both cast and crew.
Her recent short film Hogmanay, starring Peter Mullan and Siobhan Redmond, is currently in post production and will be on the festival circuit this year. Her next film Last Call, was commissioned by Emerging Voices Film Foundation and will be filmed Spring 2025.
“I am thrilled to be a part of this year’s Inspire cohort. And I’m even more thrilled to be mentored by Saul Metzstein, a director whose work I hugely admire, especially for his ability to find humour in real drama and the poignancy in comedy. The opportunity to learn from his advice and experience is the reason the reason I applied to Inspire, I hope I can elevate my work and career as a result!”
Lotus Hannon
Mentor: Jennie Darnell
Lotus is a director/writer creating bold work, exploring themes of survival, power and sexuality. Her award-winning shorts have screened internationally including her BFI Network short Re-Live and Unseen which screened at London Film Festival and was acquired by ARTE for broadcast. She’s also directed continuing drama for BBC1 and Channel 4. Lotus was selected for the BBC Directing Scheme, BAFTA Connect and was the winner of The Script Factory Development Scheme. She is developing her directorial feature debut, On The Line with Ipso Facto Productions.
“As I make the transition from directing short-form to long-form TV, I’m really excited to part of Inspire and to be mentored by Jennie Darnell whose work I greatly admire. Jennie is a leading director in edge-of-your-seat, High-end crime/thrillers and I can’t wait to see her in action and apply gained insight to my thriller feature film and TV work.”
Instagram: @lotus_hannon
Bluesky: @lotushannon.bsky.social
Mark Drake
Mentor: Matt Lipsey
Mark is a factual Series Producer/Director, determined to forge a path into scripted. Trained as a broadcast journalist, he started off his career as a clapper loader on Hollywood features before sidestepping into unscripted TV. His BAFTA award winning broadcast credits straddle the gamut of factual, from landmark ob-docs and big budget reality to natural history, formatted challenge shows and everything in between. Independently he’s been making his own short films, receiving BFI funding and garnering a place on Sundance London’s selective short film programme.
“I’ve been looking to transition into scripted for many years now, but without a network beyond factual I’ve really struggled. I’m hopeful that Inspire will help open the door and am absolutely thrilled to be mentored by the legendary comedy director Matt Lipsey.”
Instagram: @off_grid_director
Ryan Wade Stott
Mentor: Paul Whittington
Ryan is a director and writer from Nottingham whose work is characterised by distinct and immersive studies on human nature and the pressures of society.
His short films have played at a variety of international festivals, the most recent of which was Swole, a BFI Network backed project exploring male body dysmorphia in bodybuilding that screened at Flatpack Festival.
Currently Ryan is developing an original TV drama series with It’s Fine Productions and producer Christien Bart-Gittens (Amadeus, Sky TV), whilst also working on a new high-concept short film.
“Inspire is a fantastic opportunity for emerging directors and I’m incredibly excited to be a part of this cohort. It’s an absolute privilege to be under the mentorship of Paul Whittington whose knowledge and support will be invaluable to me on this journey.”
Instagram: @ryanwadestott
Simon Wade
Mentor: Alice Troughton
Simon is a writer/director based in South East London. He has directed short form work for the BFI, Sky and the BBC. His shorts have played and received accolades at festivals internationally. He has recently been screening his short drama A Moral Man, staring Toby Jones, at festivals. He is currently developing a number of feature projects.
“Directing can often feel like a very insular and singular profession where you can get stuck in your own head and overdramatise your own self-doubts and fears of the industry’s apathy towards you. I wanted to take part in Inspire to break through that, to open up my viewpoint and see how other directors work and to absorb as much of their wisdom, talent and navigating of the day to day as I can. Alice Troughton is an amazing director, and very generous person, with a wealth of experience across TV and film and I couldn’t imagine anyone better to learn from.”
Instagram: @wadebrosproductions
Sofia Olins
Mentor: Matthew Evans
Sofia is based in London. She has a background as an assistant director working on big budget features and UK comedies such as Peep Show and The Royle Family. Her short form work has been shown internationally, and her debut feature documentary, Lost In Vagueness, is currently on Netflix, Hulu and was broadcast on Sky. Having worked in both documentary and scripted, she aims to make hybrid films working with both actors and non-actors.
“It’s truly lovely to be mentored by Matthew, he’s so supportive and encouraging. I’m excited to draw on his many years of experience and understanding of the form. When it comes to understanding characters and telling stories, I really trust Matthew.”
Instagram: @sofiaolinsfilms
Susannah Ward
Mentor: Bruce Goodison
Susannah is an award-winning producer-director specialising in documentary and drama reconstruction, with a strong focus on history, science, and biopics. She has directed films for Netflix and key networks such as BBC, C4, Nat Geo and Discovery.
Known for her ability to blend factual storytelling with cinematic dramatisation, Susannah has earned both Grierson nominations and Emmy wins. She trained extensively in screenwriting at UCLA and the UK’s National Film and Television School, developing pilots and screenplays that now inform her distinctive approach to both documentary and drama directing.
“I joined the Inspire scheme to refine my ability to merge documentary and drama under the mentorship of acclaimed director Bruce Goodison. His deep expertise in both genres aligns perfectly with my ambition to direct high-end drama documentaries.”
LinkedIn: Susannah Ward
Tom Ruddock
Mentor: Peter Kosminsky
Tom is a Writer/Director from Hainault, London. Inspired by his Grandad’s stories of growing up in East London, Toms’ work focuses on character-driven films where he looks to find hope, no matter how dark the circumstances.
His short film Hello, Again was Bafta-Longlisted and has over 2 million views online.
More recently Tom wrote and directed his debut feature, The Draw, which was acquired by Film Seekers and will have its UK premiere at the Manchester Film Festival in 2025. Tom has also completed work on season one of Testament as the Second Unit director, due to be released in 2025.
“Peter’s work has had a huge influence on me both professionally and personally, so I’m over the moon, to spend the next year learning from him as I look to take the next steps in my career. I’m also looking forward to expanding my network and collaborating with the latest cohort on the Inspire scheme.”
Instagram: @Tom_ruddock
Vito Bruno
Mentor: Tom Shankland
Vito Bruno is a writer/director based in Birmingham. Bilingual in Italian and English, he works in both languages and is always on the lookout for hidden stories shedding a light on the faceless and the voiceless. In his films, Vito often uses different genres to comment on social issues, bringing to life narratives that tackle the pressing challenges of our era on screen.
Vito cut his teeth directing continuing drama for the BBC, ITV and Channel 4, and he is currently developing a limited true crime series with The Story Collective having written the pilot. He is now working towards directing High-end television, whilst developing his own slate of feature film and television projects.
“Being mentored by Tom Shankland, a director whose remarkable work inspires me greatly and whose career I’d love to mirror in my own way, engaging with peers who share the same ambition and love for storytelling, and gaining invaluable exposure and support from a fully-fledged organisation – I seriously couldn’t ask for a more exciting year ahead!”
Agent: https://theagency.co.uk
