Directing
Edward Smyth
Edward Smyth is a British filmmaker, curious to explore the most beautiful and peculiar things in life. His work has been commissioned by the BBC and the Institute of Contemporary Arts [ICA], with funding from Arts Council England, and his films have screened at major British venues, including BFI Southbank, Barbican Centre, Whitechapel Gallery, ICA & Curzon Soho; with seven selected for BAFTA-qualifying festivals, including Edinburgh International Film Festival, Cambridge Film Festival and London Short Film Festival. Festival. Romantic and poetic, playful and humorous, his work subverts traditional ideas of what a film can be, by exploring and empowering neurodivergent perspectives on screen. He pursues a formally innovative, image-based cinema, inspired more by fine art than text. In 2026, he’s developing multiple projects, including his first feature, which explores games, play, and the intersections between creativity and neurodiversity. This expands on his short film ‘The Golden Squacco Heron’, which premiered in August 2025 at the Edinburgh International Film Festival, in Competition for The Thelma Schoonmaker Prize for Short Filmmaking Excellence.
Acting credits
Behind the camera
NRMadeleine & Amos had never met. After spending 9 months studying abroad, she was about to leave London. So.. this was my excuse for them to meet.
Temp Girl
2018
NRCommissioned by the ICA (Institute of Contemporary Arts) and the BBC, 'Wave 3 (Cancelled?)' follows someone who imagines everyone in their life as characters in an action figure line.
Wave 3 (Cancelled?)
2024
NREveryone's aware. And yet almost everyone remains entirely uncurious. Perhaps.. this film could very slightly raise awareness of everyday actions we can take to benefit pigeons everywhere.
Deformed Pigeon Feet
2021
NRTwo childhood friends search for the fabled Golden Squacco Heron, the reward to a treasure hunt unsolved for 29 years. As they continue their search, they make up their own games, to pass the time…
The Golden Squacco Heron
2025
NRThis is a film, about.. 🥪 🐦 🌡️ 🍪 👀 🎥 👩🏻🦰 …
Mahon Chorizo Avocado
2020
NRA family's relationship with their dogs, over 30 years.
Puffin & Holly
—