Mike Leigh (born 20 February 1943) is an award winning British film director. He has made a number of films, usually choosing "down to earth" subjects and subject matter. His films are usually set in London.

In his cinematographic career, which he pursued quite late in his life, he has won several prizes in some of the major European film festivals. Most notably he gained two Palme d'Or in Cannes: in 1993 for the best director with Naked and in 1996 for the best film with Secrets & Lies.

He won the Leone d'Oro for the best film at the International Venice Film Festival in 2004 with Vera Drake. The film gained him a 2005 Academy Award nomination for direction.

His film-making process is very distinctive: he starts with no script, but with actors. He creates characters with the actors and they improvise together. This ultimately becomes the script of the film, which is based on improvisations, but not itself improvised.

Filmography

• Bleak Moments (1971)
• Nuts in May (BBC Play for Today, 1976)
• Abigail's Party (BBC Play for Today, 1977)
• High Hopes (1988)
• Life Is Sweet (1990)
• Naked (1993)
• Secrets & Lies (1996)
• Career Girls (1997)
• Topsy-Turvy (1999)
• All or Nothing (2002)
• Vera Drake (2004)

External links