Justin Edgar is an accomplished independent writer and director, having helmed four internationally acclaimed feature films for esteemed backers such as Film4, Creative England, and Pathe. His most recent film, The Marker, starring John Hannah and Golden Globe nominee Cathy Tyson, was acquired by Netflix.
After graduating from Portsmouth University in 1996 with a first-class degree in Film, Justin began his career writing and directing for BBC1's Doctors and for Anne Wood of Ragdoll Television, the creator of Teletubbies. In 2001, he made history by becoming the youngest director ever to direct a major UK feature film at the tender age of 26. His film, Large, was backed by Film4 and debuted at number one in the UK video charts, subsequently selling to over twenty countries worldwide.
Justin's second feature film, Special People, premiered at the 2007 TriBeCa Film Festival and the Edinburgh International Film Festival, where it competed for the prestigious Michael Powell Award. The film went on to win numerous accolades, including best film awards at the Berlin Britspotting and Moscow Perspektiva film festivals, as well as a Royal Television Society award. It was also acquired by BBC3 and received widespread critical acclaim, with a 90% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
His third film, the semi-autobiographical anti-teen movie We Are the Freaks, was also acquired by Netflix and has since developed a cult following, with praise from publications such as Den of Geek.
In addition to his work as a director, Justin is hard of hearing and has been running his own training and production company, 104 films, since 2004. The company specializes in disability and film and has worked on a range of projects, including the BAFTA-nominated Ian Dury biopic Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, starring Andy Serkis.
104 films also co-produced the feature documentary Notes on Blindness, which premiered at Sundance, won best documentary at the British Independent Film Awards, and was nominated for three BAFTAs, including Best British Film. Justin was also an associate producer on the feature documentary Unrest, which premiered in the main competitions at Sundance and SxSW 2017 and was shortlisted for the Best Documentary Oscar in 2018.
Justin has sat on the jury for The BAFTA Award for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer and has worked with various broadcasters, including BBC Drama, Channel 4, Netflix, and Sky, to implement new disability codes of practice. He is also the deputy chair of the British Film Institute's (BFI) Disability Screen Advisory Group.
As an advocate for better representation of disabled people behind the camera, Justin has written extensively for the Guardian and has appeared on BBC Radio 4 and Channel 4 news. He is a visiting lecturer at the National Film and Television School and his film prints, including Special People, have been archived at the BFI as works of cultural significance.
