Lucy Blakstad is one of Britain’s most critically acclaimed documentary and commercials film makers. She has shown a serious concern and sympathy for the points of view of ‘ordinary people’. By allowing them to give voice to their inner thoughts, hopes and fears, and placing them in a striking visual context, she reveals universal truths that speak across cultures.
Born in Macclesfield in 1965, Lucy began her career as a graphic designer at the BBC.
Her award winning documentary work (BAFTA, Royal Television Society) includes BBC2 Modern Times documentaries ‘Lido’ (1995), ‘Flatmates’ (1995), ‘Weekenders’ (1996) and ‘Hong Kong’ (1997); ‘Naked’ (1998), a BBC 1 series on how we relate to our bodies; and ‘Bridges’, a three-part series for BBC2 which was hailed as one of the best pieces of British programming in 2001.
Lucy was chosen as one of six contemporary artists commissioned by The National Maritime Museum in Greenwich to make an installation piece about the sea. This resulted in the film, ‘Shipping Forecast’ (1998), which simultaneously captured a moment in time throughout Europe using 16 different cameras and is currently being shown on a video wall in the main exhibition hall.
In 2001 Film Four commissioned her to make a short drama, ‘The Birthday’, which won a Ulysses Award and was screened at the Berlin Film Festival 2002, Edinburgh Film Festival and short-listed for the Turner Classic Short Film Award.
In 2003 Lucy was commissioned by the BBC’s Alan Yentob to make a film for the launch of his flagship arts series, “Imagine”, which was a bittersweet portrait of world famous Cuban ballet star, Carlos Acosta.
Her most recent documentary was ‘From Dreams To Reality’ about the Royal Ballet School and the Royal Ballet Company which was broadcast on Christmas Day 2006.
Blakstad has been as successful directing commercials as documentaries. Her work includes high profile campaigns for First Direct, Royal Bank Scotland, Heinz, Prudential, the Royal Mail, Marks and Spencers, and a 60 second cinema ad shot in refugee camps in Liberia for Médicins Sans Frontières.
