Lou Burns

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Lou Burns

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Lou Burns - Royal Television Society award winning screenwriter

Lou Burns - Royal Television Society award winning screenwriterLou Burns - Royal Television Society award winning screenwriterLou Burns - Royal Television Society award winning screenwriter

Bringing dramatical storytelling to life through compelling and captivating writing

Lou Burns - bafta connect writer/director

Passionate Northern Storyteller

Lou is an RTS and multi award winning writer and director from the North East. With a background in social work, social care, and teaching, and having worked, and lived, in some of the most socially and economically deprived areas in the north, Lou draws on this lived experience to create working class drama and comedy that explores social realist themes such as poverty, injustice, inequality, corruption, and community.

Credited Work…...

2024 - Short Film Drama - Toast Soldiers

2024 - Short Film Drama - Bruised

2025 - Short Film Comedy/Drama - Gan Canny (RTS Winning, BAFTA & BIFA Qualifying)


Check Lou out:

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm14666238

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lou-burns-a0bb18378/

Insta: https://www.instagram.com/answers_to_lou/

Award wins

Awards, Nominations, Selections......

"GAN CANNY" - written and co-directed:

  • Royal Television Society North East & Borders Awards 2026 - Non-broadcast scripted and unscripted (Winner) 
  • Miraban UK Film Awards 2025 - Best Short Film (Honourable Mention) 
  • Folkestone Film Festival 2025 - Best Editing and Sound Design (Winner) 
  • UK Film Awards 2025 - Best Comedy Drama (Winner),  Best Newcomer - Lily Storey (Winner),  Best Music and Best UK Short Film (Finalist) 
  • The Bay International Film Festival 2026 - Best Northern Short Film (Nominated)
  • The Indie-Lincs International Film Festival 2026 - Best Short Film (Selected)
  • The Barcelona Indie Awards 2026 - Best UK Short Film (Winner) 
  • London Director Talents Movie Awards 2026 - (Nominated x 5) Best Indie Short Film (Winner), Best Crime Short Film, Best Trailer, Best Sound Design, Best Costume Design
  • The Northampton Film Festival 2026 - Best Narrative Short Film (Nominated) 
  • Glowlare Short Film Festival 2026 - Best Short Film (Nominated x 9) - Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Score, Best Director (Winner), Best Film (Winner), Best Low Budget (Festival Winner and Audience Choice) 
  • Athlone Film Festival 2026 - Best Short Film (Selected) 
  • Manchester Film Festival - Best Short Film (Selection) 
  • Dragonfly International Film Festival - Best Production Design (Nominated) 
  • Funny Life Film Festival - Best Screenplay (Winner), Best Cinematography, Best Comedy Short (Nominated) 
  • Tyne Valley Film Festival - North East Short Screening 
  • Fisheye Film Festival - Best Comedy Short (Selection) 
  • WFTV Festival 2026 - Manchester Screening 
  • Big Fridge International Film Festival 2026 - Best Comedy (Finalist) 
  • London Global Film Awards 2026 - Best Short Film (Selected) 
  • British International Amateur Film Festival 2026 - IAC Diamond Award (Winner), Best Story (Winner), Best British Film (Winner) 
  • The Liverpool Indie Awards 2026 - Best UK Short Film (Nominated) 
  • Film Buzz Festival London 2026 - Best Short Film (Honourable Mention) 
  • Bedford Independent Film Festival 2026 - Best Short Film (Selection) 
  • Kingston International Film Festival 2026 - Best Short Film (Selection) 
  • Sunderland Shorts Film Festival 2026 -  (Nominated x 5) Best Comedy, Best UK Short Film, Best North East Film, Judges Recognition Award, Audience Choice Award (Winner) 
  • Wolverhampton Film Festival 2026 -  (Nominated x 8) Best Short Film, Best Comedy (Winner), Best Screenplay, Best Director, Best Editing, Best Sound Design, Best Hair & Make Up, Best Colourist 
  • Lit Laughs International Comedy Film Festival 2026 - Best Short Film (Honourable Mention), Best Ensemble, Best Producer (Honourable Mention) 
  • Romford Film Festival 2026  - (Selection)  
  • Paris International Women Film Festival 2026  - Best Short Film (Winner)
  • Northern Festival of Cinema 2026  - Best North East Film (Winner) Best Picture (Winner) Audience Choice (Winner)
  • Cambridge Short Film Festival 2026  - (Selection)
  • 2 Counties International Film Festival - (Selection) - 23.08.2026
  • The Shortest Nights Film Festival - (Selection) - 05.09.2026
  • Zero to Hero Film Festival - (Selection) - 16.09.2026
  • Women X Film Festival - (Selection) - 17.09.2026
  • Saturn Returns Film Festival - (Selection) - 18.09.2026
  • Worcester International Film Festival - (Selection) - 22.09.2026
  • Mansfield Town Film Festival - (Selection) - 25.09.2026
  • RS Film Festival 2026  - (Selection) - 20.10.2026 
  • Sit Down Shutup And Watch Screen Festival  - (Selection) - 21.10.2026 


"BRUISED" - written and co-directed:

* UKOWF Awards 2024 - Best Short Film (Winner) *
* UKOWF Awards 2024 - Best Screenplay (Winner) * 
* UKOWF Awards 2024 - Best Actress (Winner) *
* Feel the Reel Int. Film Festival 2024 - Best Original Score (Winner) * 
* Emerging Talent Film Festival Awards 2024 – Best Social Drama (Winner) *
* London Women's Film Festival 2024 - Best Short Drama (Winner) *
* UK Film Awards 2024 – Best Short Film (Finalist) *
* UK Film Awards 2024 – Best Screenplay (Finalist) *
* UK Film Awards 2024 – Best Supporting Actor (Nominated) *
* UK Film Awards 2024 - Best Actress (Winner) *
* TVIFF Awards 2024 - Parmo d’Or, Best North East Film (Honourable Mention) *
* Global Shorts Awards 2024 - Best Short Film (Special Mention) *
* Glow Flare Short Film Festival 2025 - Best Film (Nominated) *
* Glow Flare Short Film Festival 2025 - Best Screenplay (Nominated) *
* Glow Flare Short Film Festival 2025 - Best Director (Nominated) *
* Glow Flare Short Film Festival 2025 - Best Actress (Nominated) *
* Glow Flare Short Film Festival 2025 - Best Supporting Actress (Nominated) *
* Boundless Film Festival 2025 - Best Short Film (Nominated) *
* Manchester Lift-Off Global Festival 2025 - Best Short Film (Nominated) *
* Berlin Short Film Awards 2025 - Best Short Drama (Winner) *
* Liverpool Indie Awards 2025 - Best UK Short (Nominated) *
* Liverpool Indie Awards 2025 - Best Actress (Nominated) *
* Bedford Independent Film Festival 2025 - Best UK Short Film (Nominated) *
* International OWF Awards 2025 - Best Short Film (Winner) *
* International OWF Awards 2025 - Best Screenplay (Nominated) * 
* International OWF Awards 2025 - Best Actress (Winner) *
* International OWF Awards 2025 - Best Director (Nominated) * 
* International OWF Awards 2025 - Best Original Score (Winner) *
* The Romford Film Festival 2025 - Best Short Film (Nominated) *
* New York Film and Female Awards 2025 - Best Drama Short (Winner) *
* New York Film and Female Awards 2025 - Best Actress (Winner) *
* Power 24 International Film Festival 2025 - Best Short Film (Winner) *

"TOAST SOLDIERS" writer:

* Sunderland Shorts Film Festival 2024 – Judges Recognition Award (Jury Prize) *

Contact Me

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Lou Burns

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