Gerard Johnson (director)
Gerard Johnson | |
|---|---|
| Occupations | Writer-director, screenwriter |
| Years active | 2004-present |
| Notable work | Tony, Hyena, Muscle, Odyssey |
Gerard Johnson is a British writer-director and screenwriter. His feature films include Tony (2009), Hyena (2014), Muscle (2019) and Odyssey (2025).[1]
Career
Johnson directed the short films Mug (2004) and Tony (2005), the latter of which was later developed into his feature debut.[2]
His first feature film, Tony, was written and directed by Johnson and starred Peter Ferdinando.[3] The film was also released as Tony: London Serial Killer.[4]
Johnson's second feature, Hyena, is a crime thriller written and directed by Johnson and produced by Elizabeth Karlsen, Joanna Laurie and Stephen Woolley.[5] The film had its world premiere at the 2014 Edinburgh International Film Festival and screened at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival.[5][6] Tribeca Film acquired North American rights following the Toronto screening.[6] Hyena won Best Feature Film in the Fantàstic Òrbita section at the 2014 Sitges Film Festival.[7]
Johnson wrote and directed Muscle, a 2019 psychological thriller starring Cavan Clerkin and Craig Fairbrass.[8] The film had its world premiere in the Thrill strand at the 2019 BFI London Film Festival.[8] It was nominated for the Raindance Discovery Award at the 2019 British Independent Film Awards.[9]
His fourth feature, Odyssey, was co-written by Johnson and Austin Collings and starred Polly Maberly, Mikael Persbrandt and Guy Burnet.[10] The film had its world premiere at the 2025 SXSW Film & TV Festival and was selected for the 2025 Edinburgh International Film Festival.[10][11]
In 2018, Variety reported that Johnson was attached to direct the true-crime thriller Three Rivers for producers Robbie Brenner and Michael Keyes.[12]
Style and collaborations
Johnson's films are often London-set crime or psychological thrillers centred on isolated or compromised characters. BFI Player's Gerard Johnson collection describes his work as following fallible people in extreme situations and exploring darker parts of inner-city life.[1][13]
Johnson has repeatedly collaborated with actor Peter Ferdinando, editor Ian Davies and composer Matt Johnson of The The. The British Council credits Ian Davies as editor on Hyena, Muscle and Odyssey, and credits Matt Johnson or The The as composer on Hyena and Odyssey.[5][8][10] Matt Johnson also scored Tony, Hyena and Muscle.[14]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Credited as | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Mug | Director | Short film[2] |
| 2005 | Tony | Director | Short film; later developed into the 2009 feature[2] |
| 2009 | Tony | Writer, director | Feature film[3] |
| 2014 | Hyena | Writer, director | Feature film; winner of Best Feature Film in the Fantàstic Òrbita section at Sitges[5][7] |
| 2019 | Muscle | Writer, director | Feature film; BIFA Raindance Discovery Award nominee[8][9] |
| 2025 | Odyssey | Co-writer, director, executive producer | Feature film; SXSW 2025 official selection[10][11] |
| TBA | Three Rivers | Director | Announced project[12] |
References
- 1 2 "Gerard Johnson". BFI Player. British Film Institute. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
- 1 2 3 "Hyena". FEST. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
- 1 2 "Tony (2009)". British Film Institute. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
- ↑ "Tony: London Serial Killer". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 "Hyena". UK Films Database. British Council. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
- 1 2 "Tribeca Film Acquires North American Rights to Hyena". Tribeca Film. 15 September 2014. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
- 1 2 "Awards 2014". Sitges Film Festival. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 "Muscle". UK Films Database. British Council. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
- 1 2 "Muscle". British Independent Film Awards. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 "Odyssey". UK Films Database. British Council. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
- 1 2 "Odyssey". SXSW Schedule. South by Southwest. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
- 1 2 McNary, Dave (14 May 2018). "Gerard Johnson Set to Direct Three Rivers for Robbie Brenner and Michael Keyes". Variety. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
- ↑ "Gerard Johnson - Extended Q&A". BFI Player. British Film Institute. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
- ↑ "Gerard Johnson's Odyssey to Feature Music by The The's Matt Johnson". Film Music Reporter. 6 March 2025. Retrieved 15 June 2026.