Chanya Button is a widely celebrated director & writer, whose work spans film, television and theatre. Her recent work has included directing the epic, action packed World War II drama World on Fire for the BBC & Mammoth Screen. World on Fire is also due to air in the US on PBS, in April 2020. Her second feature film Vita & Virginia, was released last year to critical acclaim. It charts Virginia Woolf’s tempestuous affair with socialite Vita Sackville-West and stars Elizabeth Debicki, Gemma Arterton and Isabella Rossellini. The film received its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2018, was the Opening Night Gala Film for BFI Flare in 2019, and was nominated at the BIFA Awards in 2019. Chanya’s brilliantly funny debut comedy feature Burn Burn Burn was also nominated for the Discovery Award at the BIFA Awards, for an outstanding debut feature, in 2016. Burn Burn Burn received its World Premiere at the BFI London Film Festival and after worldwide theatrical distribution, it was acquired by Netflix. In April 2016 Chanya also won the BFI LOCO Film Festival’s Discover Award for Burn Burn Burn, as an outstanding debut feature. Chanya is also an alumni of the Royal Court Young Writers Programme, holds an MA from RADA in Theatre Directing, and studied English Literature at Oxford University.
Production Credits
WHITSTABLE PEARL
Episodes 5 & 6
Buccaneer Media
Acorn TV
Exec: Nadia Jaynes
Exec: Anna Burns
Exec: Richard Tulk-Hart
Exec: Tony Wood
Prod: Guy Hescott
THE SPANISH PRINCESS
Series II
Episodes 1, 2 & 3
New Pictures
Starz
Amazon
Exec: Charlie Pattinson
Exec: Christine Healy
Prod: Pat Tookey-Dickson
WORLD ON FIRE
Episodes 5 & 6
Mammoth Screen
BBC One
Exec: Chris Clough
Prod: Nick Sault
Writer: Peter Bowker
THE SECOND SEX
Amazon Studios
ProduceR: Katie Holly
Producer: Len Rowles
Writer: Chanya Button
VITA AND VIRGINIA
Opening Night Film - BFI Flare
Special Presentation - Toronto Film Festival
Blinder Films
Protagonist
IFC Films
Exec: Simon Baxter
Exec: Gemma Arterton
Exec: Dave Bishop
Exec: Simon Baxter
Prod: Katie Holly
Prod: Evangelo Kioussis
Prod: Katie Holly
Writer: Dame Eileen Atkins
Writer: Chanya Button
BURN BURN BURN
Winner - Odessa, Grand Prix
Winner - Sedona, Director's Choice Award
Winner - Cinema City, Audience Award
Winner - Umbertide, Audience Award
Nominee - BIFA's, Raindance Award
Rather Good Films
Exec: Richard Holmes
Prod: Chanya Button
Prod: Tim Phillips
Prod: Daniel-Konrad Cooper
Writer: Charlie Covell
ALPHA: OMEGA
Gobby & Specs Productions
Prod: Tim Phillips
Prod: Chanya Button
Writer: Sian Robins-Grace
Writer: Chanya Button
FIRE
Thomas Hawkins
Prod: Thomas Hawkins
Writer: Sian Robins-Grace
FROG / ROBOT
Tim Phillips
Prod: Tim Phillips
Writer: Sian Robins-Grace