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Andrew Haigh

{{Short description|English filmmaker}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2019}}

{{Use British English|date=January 2015}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Andrew Haigh

| image = Andrew Haigh (cropped).jpg

| caption = Haigh in June 2011

| birthname =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1973|3|7}}

| birth_place = Harrogate, England

| occupation = Filmmaker

| yearsactive = 1996–present

| spouse = Andy Morwood

| children = 2

| website = {{URL|http://andrewhaighfilm.com}}

}}

Andrew Haigh ({{IPAc-en|h|eɪ|g}};{{cite web|last=Murphy|first=Mekado|date=31 December 2015|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/01/movies/andrew-haigh-narrates-a-scene-from-45-years.html|title=Andrew Haigh Narrates a Scene From '45 Years'|work=The New York Times|accessdate=7 April 2018}} born 7 March 1973) is an English filmmaker. He is best known for writing and directing the films Weekend (2011), 45 Years (2015), Lean on Pete (2017), and All of Us Strangers (2023). He also wrote and directed the HBO series Looking (2014–2015) and its film sequel Looking: The Movie (2016), as well as the BBC Two limited series The North Water (2021).

Early life

Haigh was born in Harrogate on 7 March 1973{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/features/gay-life-in-all-its-ordinariness-director-andrew-haigh-discusses-his-new-hbo-series-9066994.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140121040359/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/features/gay-life-in-all-its-ordinariness-director-andrew-haigh-discusses-his-new-hbo-series-9066994.html |archive-date=2014-01-21 |url-access=limited |url-status=live|title=Gay life in all its ordinariness: Director Andrew Haigh discusses his new HBO series|first=Sarah|last=Hughes|date=19 January 2014|newspaper=The Independent}}{{cite web|url=http://www.berlinale.de/external/en/filmarchiv/doku_pdf/20095829.pdf|title=Five Miles Out|publisher=Berlin Film Festival|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221092539/http://www.berlinale.de/external/de/filmarchiv/doku_pdf/20095829.pdf|archive-date=2016-12-21|url-status=dead|access-date=2023-10-30}} and grew up in Croydon.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/dec/29/a-generation-of-queer-people-are-grieving-for-the-childhood-they-never-had-andrew-haigh-on-all-of-us-strangers |title='A generation of queer people are grieving for the childhood they never had': Andrew Haigh on All of Us Strangers |website=The Guardian|date=29 December 2023|author=Needham, Alex}} He studied history at Newcastle University.{{cite web|last1=Kellaway|first1=Kate|title=Andrew Haigh: 'It takes a kind of insane self-belief to go on'|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/aug/09/andrew-haigh-interview-45-hours|work=The Guardian|date=9 August 2015}}

Career

Haigh worked as an assistant editor on films such as Gladiator and Black Hawk Down before debuting as a writer/director with the short film Oil. In 2009 he directed his first feature-length film, Greek Pete, which debuted at the London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival.{{cite web|url=http://film.list.co.uk/article/18846-london-lesbian-and-gay-film-festival-on-tour/|title=London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival on Tour|date=9 July 2009|accessdate=21 June 2012|work=The List}} The film is set in London and centers on male prostitution, chronicling a year in the life of rent-boy Pete. Greek Pete won the Artistic Achievement Award at Outfest in 2009.{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-outfest-idUSTRE76708Z20110708|title=Outfest 2011: Highlights of this year's festival|date=7 July 2011|accessdate=21 June 2012|work=Reuters}}

Haigh's second feature, the highly acclaimed romantic drama Weekend about a 48-hour relationship between two men (played by Tom Cullen and Chris New), premiered on 11 March 2011 at the SXSW Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award for Emerging Visions.{{cite web| url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/weekend_2011/| title=Weekend (2011)| website=Rotten Tomatoes}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/mar/21/andrew-haigh-weekend-emerging-talent|title=SXSW 2011: Andrew Haigh is an emerging talent destined to become the main event|date=21 March 2011|accessdate=21 June 2012|work=The Guardian}} The film played in many other festivals around the world, and went on to collect many more awards including the Grand Jury Award for Outstanding International Narrative Feature at L.A. Outfest{{cite web|url=http://www.indiewire.com/article/weekend_habana_muda_among_top_outfest_winners#|title="Weekend," "Habana Muda" Among Top Outfest Winners|date=18 July 2011|accessdate=21 June 2012|work=indieWire}} and London Film Critics' Circle award for Breakthrough British Filmmaker.{{cite web|url=http://www.thefancarpet.com/NewsPage.aspx?n_id=5431 |title=ANDREW HAIGH NABS BREAKTHROUGH FILM-MAKER AT LONDON CRITIC'S CIRCLE AWARDS |date=20 January 2012 |accessdate=20 June 2012 |work=TheFanCarpet.com |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141225154623/http://www.thefancarpet.com/NewsPage.aspx?n_id=5431 |archivedate=25 December 2014 }}[http://www.wisconsingazette.com/interview/gay-director-andrew-haigh-talks-about-his-memorable-weekend.html "Gay director Andrew Haigh talks about his memorable 'Weekend'"] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130412042933/http://www.wisconsingazette.com/interview/gay-director-andrew-haigh-talks-about-his-memorable-weekend.html |date=12 April 2013 }}. Wisconsin Gazette, 29 September 2011.

Haigh's next film 45 Years (2015) premiered as part of the main competition at the 65th Berlin International Film Festival.{{cite web |url=http://www.berlinale.de/en/presse/pressemitteilungen/alle/Alle-Detail_25493.html |title=Berlinale 2015: Malick, Dresen, Greenaway and German in Competition |accessdate=25 December 2014 |work=Berlinale |archive-date=8 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150208075411/https://www.berlinale.de/en/presse/pressemitteilungen/alle/Alle-Detail_25493.html |url-status=dead }} The film won the top acting prizes at the festival for both its leads, Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay. The film screened at the Telluride and Toronto film festivals in September 2015. The film later received an Academy Award nomination for Charlotte Rampling. Upon release, the film received positive reviews, holding a 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Kate Taylor of The Globe and Mail wrote: "45 Years exposes the paradoxical balance of the successful marriage, one that requires a sentimental suspension of disbelief on the one hand and a hard-headed ability to deal with the everyday on the other."{{Citation |title=45 Years |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/45_years/ |language=en |accessdate=27 June 2017 |work=Rotten Tomatoes }}

Haigh co-created, co-produced and occasionally wrote and directed the HBO drama series Looking (2014–2016), about a group of gay men in San Francisco, which struggled to attract audiences despite receiving generally positive reviews from critics.{{Cite news |url=http://www.indiewire.com/2014/03/how-hbos-looking-went-from-boring-to-brilliant-193258/ |title=How HBO's Looking Went from Boring to Brilliant |last=Brennan |first=Matt |work=IndieWire |date=10 March 2014 |language=en |access-date=21 August 2017}}{{Cite news |url=http://www.avclub.com/article/hbo-should-renew-looking-even-though-nobody-watche-216064 |title=HBO should renew Looking, even though nobody watches |date=9 March 2015 |access-date=21 August 2017}} Cancelled after two seasons, the series finished with a two-hour TV movie in 2016.{{Cite web |url=http://www.hbo.com/movies/looking-the-movie |title=Synopsis {{!}} Looking: The Movie |website=HBO |language=en |access-date=21 August 2017}}{{cite web |url=http://www.washingtonblade.com/2016/01/28/looking-ahead-3/ |title=Looking ahead |first=Brian T. |last=Carney |work=Washington Blade |date=28 January 2016 }} Haigh's next film, Lean on Pete, based on the Willy Vlautin novel about a teenage boy in Oregon, premiered at the 74th Venice International Film Festival in 2017. It was released in cinemas and on VOD in April–May 2018 and received critical acclaim.{{cite web |title=Lean on Pete (2018) |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/lean_on_pete |work=Rotten Tomatoes |accessdate=9 May 2018}}{{cite web |title=Lean on Pete Reviews |work=Metacritic |url=http://www.metacritic.com/movie/lean-on-pete |accessdate=10 April 2018 }} In October 2016, Haigh was announced as the writer-director of The North Water, a mini-series based on the novel of the same name by Ian McGuire. Filming began in summer 2018.{{cite magazine |url=https://variety.com/2016/tv/global/andrew-haigh-north-water-television-45-years-1201890829-1201890829/ |title=Andrew Haigh Dives Into The North Water |first=Robert |last=Mitchell |date=17 October 2016 |magazine=Variety }}{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2017/the-north-water |title=BBC Two announces Andrew Haigh to write and direct The North Water |date=4 October 2017 |publisher=BBC }} After some filming delays in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was released between 15 July and 12 August on BBC Two in 2021.{{Cite news |last=Mangan |first=Lucy |date=2021-09-10 |title=The North Water review – a riveting voyage of blood, sweat and beards |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2021/sep/10/the-north-water-review-jack-oconnell-stephen-graham |access-date=2024-05-12 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}

In 2023, Haigh returned to film directing the romance drama All of Us Strangers starring Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal. The film is an adaptation of the Taichi Yamada novel Strangers (1988). The film premiered at the 50th Telluride Film Festival to critical acclaim and was distributed by Searchlight Pictures. The film also screened across the UK as a part of the BFI London Film Festival and is set to appear at the New York Film Festival on {{as of |2023|10|16|bare=yes|post=.}} Peter Debruge of Variety praised the film writing, "Haigh brings a sense of intimacy to this movie, presenting us with characters who are willing to be vulnerable to partners they barely know. It’s sexy, of course, but also quite moving, as this kind of exposed honesty feels like the foundation for any relationship".{{cite web|url= https://variety.com/2023/film/reviews/all-of-us-strangers-review-paul-mescal-1235705668/|title=All of Us Strangers Review: A Lonely Gay Man Explores Missed Connections in Andrew Haigh's Latest Heartbreaker |website=Variety |date=September 2023 |accessdate=8 September 2023 }}

In 2024, Haigh directed a music video for the Pet Shop Boys song "A New Bohemia". Filmed in Margate, the video features Tracey Emin and Russell Tovey.{{cite web|url=https://www.nowness.com/story/pet-shop-boys-a-new-bohemia-andrew-haigh|title=Pet Shop Boys: A New Bohemia|date=4 June 2024 |website=Nowness}}

Influences

Haigh participated in the 2022 Sight and Sound poll, which is held once every 10 years for contemporary filmmakers to select their 10 favourite films in no particular order; he chose Black Narcissus (1947), Some Like It Hot (1959), L'avventura (1960), The Manchurian Candidate (1962), Cries and Whispers (1972), Don't Look Now (1973), Watership Down (1978), Ratcatcher (1999), Uzak (2002), and The Holy Girl (2004).{{Cite web |title=Andrew Haigh {{!}} BFI |url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/greatest-films-all-time/all-voters/andrew-haigh |access-date=2024-02-09 |website=www.bfi.org.uk}}

Personal life

Haigh is gay.{{cite web|url=https://www.sfweekly.com/archives/chatting-with-andrew-haigh/article_41dda9e9-3188-5d7a-9324-7e5e6917eb31.html |title=Chatting with Andrew Haigh |date=27 January 2016|author=Edalatpour, Jeffrey |website=SF Weekly}} He is married to Andy Morwood, with whom he has two daughters.{{cite podcast|url=https://www.podcastone.com/episode/B.E.E.---Andrew-Haigh---6/1/15-511095 |title=The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast - ANDREW HAIGH - 6/1/15|publisher=Podcast one |host=Ellis, Bret Easton|date=1 June 2015|time=41:30|access-date=17 October 2022}}{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2023-12-20/andrew-haigh-all-of-us-strangers-looking-weekend |title=My journey to the heart of Andrew Haigh, the director behind the year's best film|newspaper=LA Times|date=20 December 2023 |author=Brennan, Matt}}

Filmography

=== Films ===

class="wikitable sortable"

! width="33"| Year

! Title

! width="65"|Director

! width="65"|Screenwriter

! width="65"|Editor

! Distributor

! class=unsortable| {{Tooltip|Ref.|Reference}}

align="center" | 2009

| align="left"| Greek Pete

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| Peccadillo Pictures

align="center" | 2011

| align="left"| Weekend

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| Peccadillo Pictures / IFC Films

|

align="center" | 2015

| align="left"| 45 Years

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

|IFC Films

|

align="center" | 2017

| align="left"| Lean on Pete

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

|Curzon Artificial Eye / A24

|

align="center" | 2023

| align="left"| All of Us Strangers

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| Searchlight Pictures

|

Short films

class="wikitable sortable"

! rowspan="2" width="33"| Year

! rowspan="2"| Title

! width="65"|Director

! width="65"|Screenwriter

! width="65"|Editor

! class=unsortable| {{Tooltip|Ref.|Reference}}

align="center" | 2003

| align="left"| Oil

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

|

align="center" | 2005

| align="left"| Markings

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

|

align="center" | 2005

| align="left"| Cahuenga Blvd

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

|

align="center" | 2009

| align="left"| Five Miles Out

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

|

Editor / Miscellaneous

{{div col | colwidth=30em}}

{{div col end}}

= Filmography critical reception =

{{hatnote|Each film is linked to the "Critical response" section of its article.}}

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="text-align: center;"

|+ {{Screen reader-only|Critical and public response of Marvel Cinematic Universe films}}

! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Film

scope="col" | Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score

! scope="col" | Rotten Tomatoes Average Critic Rating

! scope="col" | Metacritic

Greek Pete

!| 58% (12 reviews){{cite web | url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1226727-greek_pete | title=Greek Pete | Rotten Tomatoes | website=Rotten Tomatoes }}

! scope="col" | 5.2/10{{cite web | url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1226727-greek_pete | title=Greek Pete | Rotten Tomatoes | website=Rotten Tomatoes }}

! scope="col" | -

Weekend

! scope="col" | 95% (87 reviews){{cite web | url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/weekend_2011 | title=Weekend | Rotten Tomatoes | website=Rotten Tomatoes }}

! scope="col" | 8.1/10{{cite web | url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/weekend_2011 | title=Weekend | Rotten Tomatoes | website=Rotten Tomatoes }}

! scope="col" | 81 (18 reviews){{cite web | url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/weekend/ | title=Weekend | website=Metacritic }}

45 Years

! scope="col" | 97% (211 reviews){{cite web | url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/45_years | title=45 Years | Rotten Tomatoes | website=Rotten Tomatoes }}

! scope="col" | 8.6/10{{cite web | url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/45_years | title=45 Years | Rotten Tomatoes | website=Rotten Tomatoes }}

! scope="col" | 94 (36 reviews){{cite web | url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/45-years/ | title=45 Years | website=Metacritic }}

Lean on Pete

! scope="col" | 90% (190 reviews){{cite web | url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/lean_on_pete | title=Lean on Pete | Rotten Tomatoes | website=Rotten Tomatoes }}

! scope="col" | 7.9/10{{cite web | url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/lean_on_pete | title=Lean on Pete | Rotten Tomatoes | website=Rotten Tomatoes }}

! scope="col" | 80 (40 reviews){{cite web | url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/lean-on-pete/ | title=Lean on Pete | website=Metacritic }}

All of Us Strangers

! scope="col" | 96% (252 reviews)[https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/all_of_us_strangers All of Us Strangers] rottentomatoes.com

! scope="col" | 8.8/10{{cite web | url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/all_of_us_strangers | title=All of Us Strangers | Rotten Tomatoes | website=Rotten Tomatoes }}

! scope="col" | 90 (53 reviews){{cite web | url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/all-of-us-strangers/ | title=All of Us Strangers | website=Metacritic }}

= Television =

class="wikitable sortable"

! Year

! rowspan="2"| Title

! width="65"|Director

! width="65"|Screenwriter

! rowspan="2"| Notes

! class=unsortable| {{Tooltip|Ref.|Reference}}

2014–2015

| align="left"| Looking

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

|HBO series; executive producer

|

align="center" | 2016

| align="left"| Looking: The Movie

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

|HBO movie

|

align="center" | 2019

|The OA

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

|Netflix series; 2 episodes

|

align="center" | 2021

|The North Water

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| BBC2 Miniseries; 5 episodes

|

Awards and nominations

class="wikitable sortable"
Year

! Association

! Category

! Project

! Result

! class=unsortable|{{Abbr|Ref.|Reference(s)}}

2009

| Leeds International Film Festival

| Yorkshire Film Award

| Five Miles Out

| {{won}}

|

rowspan=2|2009

| Atlanta Film Festival

| Special Jury Award

| rowspan=2|Greek Pete

| {{won}}

|

L.A. Outfest

| Programming Award for Artistic Achievement

| {{won}}

|

rowspan=7|2011

|Evening Standard British Film Awards

| Best Screenplay

| rowspan=7|Weekend

| {{won}}

|

International Film Festival RotterdamMovieZone Award{{Won}}
L.A. OutfestGrand Jury Award{{won}}
London Film Critics' Circle AwardBreakthrough British Filmmaker{{won}}
Nashville Film FestivalBest of Festival Award{{won}}
San Francisco International LGBT Film FestivalAudience Award{{won}}
SXSW Film FestivalAudience Award{{won}}
rowspan=16|2015Edinburgh International Film FestivalMichael Powell Award for Best British Feature Filmrowspan=16|45 Years{{won}}
Evening Standard British Film AwardEditor's Award{{won}}
London Film Critics' Circle AwardBest British / Irish Film of the Year{{won}}
National Board of ReviewTop Ten Independent Films{{won}}
BAFTA AwardOutstanding British Film{{nom}}
Berlin International Film FestivalGolden Bear{{nom}}
rowspan=3|British Independent Film AwardBest British Independent Film{{nom}}
Best Director{{nom}}
Best Screenplay{{nom}}
David di Donatello AwardBest European Film{{nom}}
Empire AwardBest British Film{{nom}}
European Film AwardBest Screenwriter{{nom}}
Evening Standard British Film AwardBest Film{{nom}}
rowspan=2|London Film Critics' Circle AwardBest Film of the Year{{nom}}
Director of the Year{{nom}}
San Francisco Film Critics CircleBest Adapted Screenplay{{nom}}
2018British Independent Film AwardBest DirectorLean on Pete{{nom}}
rowspan=3|2023rowspan=3|British Independent Film AwardBest British Independent Filmrowspan=9|All of Us Strangers{{won}}
Best Director{{won}}
Best Screenplay{{won}}
rowspan=6|2024Critics' Choice Movie AwardBest Adapted Screenplay{{nom}}
Satellite AwardBest Adapted Screenplay{{nom}}
rowspan=3 | BAFTA AwardBest Director{{nom}}rowspan=3 | {{Cite web |first1=Alex |last1=Ritman |first2=Ellise |last2=Shafer |date=2024-01-18 |title=BAFTA Film Awards Nominations: Oppenheimer and Poor Things Lead as Barbie Falls Short |url=https://variety.com/2024/awards/global/bafta-film-awards-nominations-2024-1235876088/ |access-date=2024-01-18 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}
Best Adapted Screenplay{{nom}}
Outstanding British Film{{nom}}
Independent Spirit AwardBest Director{{nom}}

References

{{reflist}}

External links

{{Commons category|Andrew Haigh}}

  • [http://www.andrewhaighfilm.com/ Official website]
  • {{IMDb name|0354091|Andrew Haigh}}

  • [https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/09/05/movies/movies-20-young-directors.html 2013 Interview from The New York Times' "20 Directors to Watch" article]

{{Andrew Haigh}}

{{Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Screenplay}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Haigh, Andrew}}

Category:1973 births

Category:Living people

Category:21st-century English LGBTQ people

Category:21st-century English screenwriters

Category:Alumni of Newcastle University

Category:English gay writers

Category:British LGBTQ film directors

Category:British LGBTQ screenwriters

Category:English atheists

Category:English film directors

Category:English male screenwriters

Category:English LGBTQ writers

Category:English television directors

Category:English writers on atheism

Category:LGBTQ people from London

Category:LGBTQ people from Yorkshire

Category:LGBTQ television directors

Category:People from Harrogate

Category:People from the London Borough of Croydon