Kevin Macdonald

Directing

Kevin Macdonald

Born 1967-10-28 · Glasgow, Scotland, UK

Kevin Macdonald (born 28 October 1967) is a Scottish film director. His films include  One Day in September (1999), a documentary about the 1972 murder of 11 Israeli athletes, which won him the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, the climbing documentary Touching the Void (2003), the drama The Last King of Scotland (2006), the political thriller State of Play (2009), the Bob Marley documentary Marley (2012), the post-apocalyptic drama How I Live Now (2013), the thriller Black Sea (2014), the Whitney Houston documentary Whitney (2018), and the legal drama film The Mauritanian (2021). Description above from the Wikipedia article Kevin Macdonald (director), licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Acting credits

Black Sea poster
6.3

A rogue submarine captain pulls together a misfit crew to go after a sunken treasure rumored to be lost in the depths of the Black Sea. As greed and desperation take control on-board their claustrophobic vessel, the increasing uncertainty of the mission causes the men to turn on each other to fight for their own survival.

Black Sea

2014

Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché poster
7.2

The epic life story of Alice Guy-Blaché (1873–1968), a French screenwriter, director and producer, true pioneer of cinema, the first person who made a narrative fiction film; author of hundreds of movies, but banished from history books. Ignored and forgotten. At last remembered.

Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché

2018

I Know Where I'm Going! Revisited poster
6.5

Nancy Franklin was so overwhelmed by the film 'I Know Where I'm Going!' (1945) that she traveled from New York to the Western Isles of Scotland to see the places where it was made and to find out more about the people who made it. This documentary retraces her steps on a subsequent visit.

I Know Where I'm Going! Revisited

1994

Capturing Reality poster
6.1

From cinema-verite; pioneers Albert Maysles and Joan Churchill to maverick movie makers like Errol Morris, Werner Herzog and Nick Broomfield, the world's best documentarians reflect upon the unique power of their genre. Capturing Reality explores the complex creative process that goes into making non-fiction films. Deftly charting the documentarian's journey, it poses the question: can film capture reality?

Capturing Reality

2008

My Enemy's Enemy poster
7.1

Reveals an alternate history of the post-war world. This is a version of history where, in contrast to what we are all told, fascist ideology prevailed. The story of Klaus Barbie, Nazi torturer, American spy, tool of repressive right-wing regimes, is symbolic of the real relationship that the "Western" governments had with fascism and makes us see the world as it is today - and the politicians that inhabit it - in a different way.

My Enemy's Enemy

2007

A Profile of 'The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp' poster
8.0

A documentary on "The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp."

A Profile of 'The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp'

2000

A Profile of 'The Red Shoes' poster
5.5

Documentary about the making of the 1948 British film, including interviews with members of the production team.

A Profile of 'The Red Shoes'

2000

Touching the Void: Return to Siula Grande poster
8.3

The story of Joe Simpson and Simon Yates' return to the mountain of Siula Grande for the making of the film 'Touching The Void'.

Touching the Void: Return to Siula Grande

2004

Behind the camera

The Eagle poster
6.2

In 140 AD, twenty years after the unexplained disappearance of the entire Ninth Legion in the mountains of Scotland, young centurion Marcus Aquila arrives from Rome to solve the mystery and restore the reputation of his father, the commander of the Ninth. Accompanied only by his British slave Esca, Marcus sets out across Hadrian's Wall into the uncharted highlands of Caledonia - to confront its savage tribes, make peace with his father's memory, and retrieve the lost legion's golden emblem, the Eagle of the Ninth.

The Eagle

2011

The Mauritanian poster
7.4

The true story of the Mauritanian Mohamedou Ould Slahi, who was held at the U.S military's Guantanamo Bay detention center without charges for over a decade and sought help from a defense attorney for his release.

The Mauritanian

2021

The Runner poster
NR

Maia Marten, a brilliant London lawyer, has her life shattered by a single call on her morning run: her son has been taken. To get him back, she must keep running, obey every ruthless command, and trust no one-each second a test of how far a mother will go to save her child.

The Runner

2026

State of Play poster
6.8

When a congressional aide is killed, a Washington, D.C. journalist starts investigating the case involving the Representative, his old college friend.

State of Play

2009

The Last King of Scotland poster
7.4

Young Scottish doctor, Nicholas Garrigan decides it's time for an adventure after he finishes his formal education, so he decides to try his luck in Uganda, and arrives during the downfall of President Obote. General Idi Amin comes to power and asks Garrigan to become his personal doctor.

The Last King of Scotland

2006

Black Sea poster
6.3

A rogue submarine captain pulls together a misfit crew to go after a sunken treasure rumored to be lost in the depths of the Black Sea. As greed and desperation take control on-board their claustrophobic vessel, the increasing uncertainty of the mission causes the men to turn on each other to fight for their own survival.

Black Sea

2014

Black Sea poster
6.3

A rogue submarine captain pulls together a misfit crew to go after a sunken treasure rumored to be lost in the depths of the Black Sea. As greed and desperation take control on-board their claustrophobic vessel, the increasing uncertainty of the mission causes the men to turn on each other to fight for their own survival.

Black Sea

2014

How I Live Now poster
6.6

An American girl, sent to the English countryside to stay with relatives, finds love and purpose while fighting for her survival as war envelops the world around her.

How I Live Now

2013

One to One: John & Yoko poster
7.1

An exploration of the seminal and transformative 18 months that one of music’s most famous couples — John Lennon and Yoko Ono — spent living in Greenwich Village, New York City, in the early 1970s.

One to One: John & Yoko

2025

One to One: John & Yoko poster
7.1

An exploration of the seminal and transformative 18 months that one of music’s most famous couples — John Lennon and Yoko Ono — spent living in Greenwich Village, New York City, in the early 1970s.

One to One: John & Yoko

2025

Whitney poster
7.3

Examines the life and career of singer Whitney Houston. Features never-before-seen archival footage, exclusive recordings, rare performances and interviews with the people who knew her best.

Whitney

2018

Whitney poster
7.3

Examines the life and career of singer Whitney Houston. Features never-before-seen archival footage, exclusive recordings, rare performances and interviews with the people who knew her best.

Whitney

2018

Touching the Void poster
7.6

The true story of Joe Simpson and Simon Yates' disastrous and nearly-fatal mountain climb of 6,344m Siula Grande in the Cordillera Huayhuash in the Peruvian Andes in 1985.

Touching the Void

2003

High & Low – John Galliano poster
6.1

Fashion designer John Galliano was widely recognized as one of the most successful names in 1990s and 2000s couture, until his career abruptly ended when he was caught on camera in 2011 hurling antisemitic and racist insults at bystanders in Paris.

High & Low – John Galliano

2024

High & Low – John Galliano poster
6.1

Fashion designer John Galliano was widely recognized as one of the most successful names in 1990s and 2000s couture, until his career abruptly ended when he was caught on camera in 2011 hurling antisemitic and racist insults at bystanders in Paris.

High & Low – John Galliano

2024

Life in a Day poster
7.2

A documentary shot by filmmakers all over the world that serves as a time capsule to show future generations what it was like to be alive on the 24th of July, 2010.

Life in a Day

2011

Being Mick poster
7.0

For everyone who's always envied the life of the legendary Rolling Stones frontman, this behind-the-scenes documentary lets you in on Mick Jagger's private life, with family home movies and interviews, and also follows him recording and performing songs from his solo Goddess in the Doorway" album. Special appearances by Bono, Pete Townshend, Wyclef Jean, Lenny Kravitz, and others are featured.

Being Mick

2001

Sky Ladder: The Art of Cai Guo-Qiang poster
7.0

Known for his spectacular pyrotechnic displays, Chinese artist Cai Guo-Qiang creates his most ambitious project yet: Sky Ladder, a visionary, explosive event that he pulls off in his hometown in China after 20 years of failed attempts.

Sky Ladder: The Art of Cai Guo-Qiang

2017

Marley poster
7.5

Bob Marley's universal appeal, impact on music history and role as a social and political prophet is both unique and unparalleled. Directed by Academy Award-winning director Kevin Macdonald (The Last King of Scotland), MARLEY is the definitive life story of the musician, revolutionary, and legend, from his early days to his rise to international superstardom. Made with the support of the Marley family, the film features rare footage, incredible performances and revelatory interviews with the people that knew him best.

Marley

2012

Chaplin's Goliath poster
6.6

A film about the tall actor who was most famous for playing the quintessential villain for Charlie Chaplin's Tramp character.

Chaplin's Goliath

1996

Chaplin's Goliath poster
6.6

A film about the tall actor who was most famous for playing the quintessential villain for Charlie Chaplin's Tramp character.

Chaplin's Goliath

1996

Bruno v Tyson poster
7.0

The full story of an epic in-ring rivalry and the fascinating personal relationship that went along with it.

Bruno v Tyson

2021

Humphrey Jennings: The Man Who Listened to Britain poster
10.0

Documentary about Humphrey Jennings, an English documentary filmmaker from the 1930s to 1950.

Humphrey Jennings: The Man Who Listened to Britain

2025

Klitschko: More Than a Fight poster
8.1

Offers viewers unprecedented access to former heavyweight boxing world champion Vitali Klitschko, along with his brother Wladimir, who together dominated the sport for more than a decade. Now the longest serving Mayor of Kyiv, this feature-length Sky Original documentary charts Vitali’s journey from the ring to political office, ultimately leading the defence of the capital when it was attacked by Russian forces in February 2022.

Klitschko: More Than a Fight

2024