Kyla Simone Bruce
Writer / Director
Kyla’s critically acclaimed drama UNDOCUMENT (receiving 4 star reviews from Total Film & Time Out + nominations for two BIFAs, for Best Debut Director & Most Promising Newcomer) was released by Studio Soho & Lionsgate in UK cinemas, 2020 & has been acquired by HBO Europe. Her internationally successful short MERCURY (winning 7 awards + 9 more nominations - including a BIFA for Best British Short) is now being developed into her next feature: THE COCKATOO INN. She has a background in video art (BAhons with Distinction from The Glasgow School of Art) and has directed promos for clients including Armani, DKNY and Atlantic Records. She also works as a script supervisor on TV shows (Top Boy, Industry, Gangs of London) for companies including Netflix, BBC and Sky. Kyla is a graduate of The London Film School. She received an MA with Distinction for her short THE INTERPRETER, which was long-listed for a BAFTA and awarded Best Student Short & a Special Mention for Best Woman Director at the London Short Film Festival. Kyla was awarded the 2020 John Brabourne Award and has been selected for the 2021 BIFA Springboard program.
Awards
MERCURY
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Winner - Rouen-Norwich Club Award for Best Performance (Isabella Laughland) - This Is England , 2019
Winner - Best Script (Gorana Jovanović) - Festival Européen du Film Court de Nice, 2018
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Winner - Best Actress (Isabella Laughland and Harriet Cains)​ - Festival Européen du Film Court de Nice, 2018
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Winner - Best Short Film - London Film Week, 2018
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Winner - Best Short Film - Exeter 2 Short Nights, 2018
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Nomination - Best British Short - The London Short Film Festival, 2019
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Nomination - Grand Prix - Brussels Short Film Festival, 2019
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Nomination - Best Narrative Short - Atlanta Film Festival, 2019
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Nomination - XX Award: Best Female Representation - Underwire, 2018
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Nomination - Screenwriting Award (Gorana Jovanović) - Underwire, 2018
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Nomination - Best Narrative Short - Austin Film Festival, 2018
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Nomination - Best Live Action (International competition) - PÖFF Shorts, 2018
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Nomination - Best of British Award - Encounters, 2018
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Winner - ShortsTV Pitch, Cannes Film Festival, 2017
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UNDOCUMENT
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Winner - Best Feature - The Bucharest Film Awards, 2017
Winner - Best Screen Play - The Bucharest Film Awards, 2017
Winner - Best Director - The Bucharest Film Awards, 2017
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Winner - Best Actress (Maryam Davari) - The Bucharest Film Awards, 2017
Winner - Best Humanitarian Film - London TMC Film Festival, 2017
Nomination - Best Debut Director - British Independent Film Awards, 2016
Nomination - Most Promising Newcomer Award (Ako Ali), British Independent Film Awards, 2016
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Nomination - Best Feature - Crystal Palace International Film Festival, 2017
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Nomination - Best International Feature - The Hollywood Verge Film Awards, 2017
Nomination - Best Feature - Berlin Motion Film Festival, 2017
Nomination - World Cinema Award - Phoenix Film Festival, 2017
Nomination - Best Feature - The Iranian Film Festival, Zurich, 2017
Semi-Finalist - Best Feature - Iranian Film Festival, San Fransisco, 2017
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THE INTERPRETER
Winner - Best Student Film - The London Short Film Festival, 2015
Special Mention - Best Woman Director - The London Short Film Festival, 2015
Winner - Audience Choice Award - NAFAN Film Festival, 2015
Long-listed - BAFTA Short Film Award, 2015
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Nominated - British Universities Film & Television Council LOS Awards, 2014
Nominated - NAHEMI Award - Encounters Film Festival, 2014
Nominated - International Student Filmmaker Award - Starz Denver Film Festival, 2014
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MW
Nominated - Gradiva® Award - Best Art by the National Association
for the Advancement of Psychoanalysis (NAAP). 2016
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WINNER - JOHN BRABOURNE AWARD 2020
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SHORTLISTED - THE EAST END FILM FESTIVAL TRANSIT AWARD 2018
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NETWORKS & TRAINING PROGRAMS
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BIFA SPRINGBOARD PROGRAM 2021/22
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Mentor for the Glasgow School of Art graduate program 2021
Jury - LONDON FILM WEEK 2020
BAFTA NETWORK CREW
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Mind The Gap Industry Training, East End Film Festival, 2016
Collision, Artist Residency at The SouthBank Centre, London, 2016
Go East Film Festival, Oppose Othering documentary development program, 2016
NISI MASA European Short Pitch, 2015
Zagreb Film Festival, My First Script Workshop, 2015
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THE LONDON FILM SCHOOL - Masters in Directing & Writing with Distinction, 2013
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THE GLASGOW SCHOOL OF ART - BA (Hons) Fine Art with Distinction, 2008