Daniel Kokotajlo

Daniel Kokotajlo (born 1980 or 1981)[1] is a British film writer and director.[2] He has also used the name Dan P. K. Smyth.[3][4]

He wrote and directed the 2017 film Apostasy, which reflects his own experience of growing up as a Jehovah's Witness,[5] and the 2023 film Starve Acre, based on Andrew Michael Hurley's novel of the same name.[6]

Apostasy won the Writers' Guild of Great Britain award for "Best First Screenplay",[7] and was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer in 2018,[8] and for six British Independent Film Awards (BIFA).[9]

Kokotajlo has a BA (2003) in textiles and fine art from Manchester Metropolitan University and an MA (2010) from the University of Westminster in screenwriting and film production.[10]

Filmography

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Feature films

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Short films

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  • The Mess Hall of an Online Warrior (2010): writer and director[4]
  • Myra (2011): writer and director[9]
  • Every Good Boy Does Fine (2012): writer and director[9]
  • Gummy Man Rage (2012): writer and director[9]
  • Off Yer 'Ead (2014): writer and director[9]

References

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  1. ^ de Semlyen, Phil (24 July 2018). "Daniel Kokotajlo: 'I had no interest in dealing with my time as a Jehovah's Witness'". Time Out Worldwide. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  2. ^ "Daniel Kokotajlo: Writer/Director". www.bafta.org. 30 October 2018. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  3. ^ "The Mess Hall of an Online Warrior". TVGuide.com. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  4. ^ a b "The Mess Hall of an Online Warrior". Daniel Kokotajlo. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  5. ^ Cooke, Rachel (15 July 2018). "Apostasy director: 'It was liberating to leave the Jehovah's Witnesses'". The Observer. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  6. ^ Bradshaw, Peter (12 October 2023). "Starve Acre review – intelligent performances in sinister Yorkshire folk horror". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  7. ^ "Writers' Guild Awards 2019". Writers' Guild of Great Britain. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  8. ^ "2019 Film Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer". awards.bafta.org. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  9. ^ a b c d e "Daniel Kokotajlo". BIFA · British Independent Film Awards. 31 October 2018. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  10. ^ "Dan Kokotajlo". LinkedIn. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
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