Tom Roberts, writer/director, is a distinguished documentary filmmaker who has just made the transition to feature films by completing In Tranzit, which he co-wrote and directed. The €6m UK/Russian co-production stars John Malkovich, Vera Farmiga, Thomas Kretschmann, Daniel Bruhl, Natalie Press and Yevgenny Mironov. Filmed on location in grueling winter conditions in St. Petersburg, Russia, the film was completed under budget and is due for release in the UK within the year.

Roberts was the original founder of independent production company October Films, which specialises in high quality international projects. His work has been regularly broadcast on the BBC and Channel Four, on virtually every major European channel and on HBO and PBS in the US.  He has worked in all genres and is known for the directing films with cinematic imagery, powerful narratives and high emotional impact. 

Prior to completing In Tranzit, he finished two feature-length films about Iraq - A Company of Soldiers and The Insurgency - which were broadcast to considerable critical acclaim in the US and Britain. A Company of Soldiers was nominated for a BAFTA last year – adding to his personal total of more than 35 international awards and nominations. 

In 2003, October Films won a grant from the UK Film Council to develop a slate of feature scripts. The project was overseen by Roberts and the first of those scripts, The Wedding Party, is nearing completion of finance with BBC Films and the UK Film Council as the primary funders of a $5m budget. 

Roberts is now bringing his wealth of experience to bear on his new career.  He is particularly interested in genre projects, notably thrillers and currently has a number of ideas in development on themes as diverse as sci-fi, contemporary thrillers, and historical drama.  Intent on developing his own material, he is also keen to read and help develop nearly completed scripts on which he can bring his structural and narrative skills.

Tom is represented by Emily Hayward