Stephen Bennett

The sort of clear-eyed narrative focus normally found in Alex Gibney’s films’ (Scotsman)

Self-shooting documentary director Stephen Bennett has been working in television for 26 years, working on international prime time commissions for BBC Storyville, BBC, Channel 4, Channel 5, Sky, NHK (Japan), Discovery and History (USA).

Nominated for an Orwell Prize in 2020, his films are distinguished by strong characters, hard-won access and an intimate, engaging shooting style. They consistently make Critics Choice in the tabloids and broadsheets whilst provoking strong reactions from audiences.

His films have changed Governmental policy (veterans with PTSD – THE WALKING WOUNDED) and been used by institutions including THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT, SCOTTISH LAW SOCIETY, CHILDREN’S REPORTERS, SOCIAL WORK ENGLAND; YOUTH JUSTICE TEAM, GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL; and NORTH LANARKSHIRE’S LOOKED AFTER CHILDREN PROGRAMME.

In 2021 he began working with TRAUMA AWARE LAWYERS, using his 2011 film WARRIORS: REVISITING THE BOYS OF BALLIKINRAIN documentary to bring trauma awareness to the Justice system.  It has been screened at every Law School in Scotland.

Stephen has won three BAFTA Scotland awards: three Celtic Media Torcs, two Royal Teleivision Society Awards and Best Documentary Feature Film at Belfasts Human Rights Film Festival. 

His debut feature ‘Eminent Monsters’ was screened at United Nations Human Rights Council, in June 2019. Hosted by Special Rapporteur for Torture, Professor Nils Melzer, along with Reprieve, the film led to the first ever report on the global use of psychological torture by Member States and remains part of a campaign for non-coercive interrogation methods.

His Darren McGarvey’s Class Wars series was rated in a global twenty of Best TV of 2021 by the Guardian alongside landmark series such as It's a Sin and Line of Duty.

In 2022 he directed feature documentary ‘War and Justice: The Case of Marine A’ for Channel 4, supported by Screen Scotland, about the first British soldier to be found guilty of murder on a foreign battlefield since World War II. 

He has just completed his third feature documentary, Keeping It Up: The Story of Viagra with Two Rivers Media for BBC Storyville, UK Global Screen Fund, Screen Scotland, BBC Wales and All3Media about the accidental discovery, launch and cultural impact of Viagra since it was launched 25 years ago.