Lenny Abrahamson was born in Dublin, Ireland in the year 1966. He embarked on a journey of higher learning at Trinity College Dublin, where he pursued a dual degree in physics and philosophy. During his university years, Abrahamson co-founded the Trinity Video Society with Ed Guiney, and together they directed a series of short videos. He graduated in 1991 with exceptional academic achievement, earning a first-class honors degree with a gold medal.
Abrahamson's early success in filmmaking was marked by his first short film, "3 Joes," which won numerous awards, including the Best European Short Film Award at the 1991 Cork Film Festival and the Organiser's Award at the 1992 Oberhausen Short Film Festival. He then transitioned to directing commercials for television, working in Ireland, the UK, and globally before taking on his first feature film, "Adam & Paul."
Released in 2004, "Adam & Paul" was a stylized downbeat comedy written by Mark O'Halloran and earned Abrahamson the Best First Feature award at the 2004 Galway Film Fleadh and the Grand Prix at the 2005 Sofia International Film Festival. His second feature film, "Garage," another collaboration with O'Halloran, was selected for Director's Fortnight at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival and won the CICAE Art and Essai award. "Garage" also received accolades at the 2008 Irish Film and Television Awards, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Script, and Best Actor.
In addition to his feature film work, Abrahamson has also directed for television. His four one-hour TV films for RTE, "Prosperity," earned him the Best Director for TV award at the 2008 Irish Film and Television Awards. His third feature, "What Richard Did," was released in 2012 to critical acclaim and premiered at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival and the 2012 BFI London Film Festival. Abrahamson's fourth feature, "Frank," a comedy starring Michael Fassbender and Domhnall Gleeson, is set to be released in the near future.
