SEAN McALLISTER | UK

Sean McAllister left school at 16 to work in a series of low-paid low-skilled factory jobs in his hometown of Hull before finding a camera. He filmed his way into the National Film and Television School (NFTS), graduating in 1996. Since then he has made films for BBC and Channel 4; working in the UK and internationally.

Tilley produced the short documentary films for the Steps’ Why Democracy global documentary series and subsequently produced both the 8 long and 40 short films for the global Why Poverty series.

His documentary on AIDS activist, Zackie Achmat, It’s My Life, was screened in competition at IDFA and on several international television channels including BBC, ARTE, YLE, CBC, YLE, SVT, DR and SUNDANCE. He also wrote and directed the drama series In a Time of Violence co-produced with Channel Four, YLE and ARTE, which sold to 32 countries.

He worked as a Story Consultant / Script Editor on acclaimed documentaries including Rehad Desai’s Emmy award-winning Minors Shot Down, Hajooj Kuka’s TIFF Audience Award winner Beats of the Antonov, and Anjali Nayar and Hawa Essuman’s Silas, which premiered at TIFF.

In addition he has script edited fiction films such as Oliver Schmitz’s Hijack Stories, Wanuri Kahiu’s Kenyan Cannes hit Rafiki and Mickey Fonseca’s Mozambique feature film Resgate. He co-wrote Akin Omotoso’s 2019 Nigerian feature film The Ghost In The House of Truth.