Graham Hughes (director)

Life and career

Born in Kirkintilloch, Hughes graduated in 2009 from Stirling University with a degree in Film and Media studies. Together with childhood friends Graeme McGeagh and Keith Grantham, Hughes began writing what would become his first film The Big Slick. The feature-length comedy film, which also starred the trio in acting roles, tells the story of six young guys whose efforts to spend a quiet night in, quickly spiral out of control. The film was a critical success and was chosen to open the 2012 Loch Ness film festival. In March 2011, it was announced that Hughes, McGeagh and Grantham had been nominated for a British Academy Scotland New Talent Award for best achievement in writing. Hosted by Kaye Adams, the 2011 British Academy Scotland New Talent Awards took place at the Glasgow Film Theatre on 11 March and despite strong competition, the trio struck gold by taking home the Best Writing accolade.

Following the success of The Big Slick, Hughes was invited to co-produce the short romantic comedy Falling for Fitzgerald by Amy Hawes. The film centres around Melanie (played by Lynn Murray) in her pursuit over her unobtainable best friend, Fitzgerald. Actress Lynn Murray went on to pick up the Best Acting Performance accolade at the 2012 British Academy Scotland New Talent Awards.

In late 2012, Hughes reunited with McGeagh and Grantham to pen their next feature film, A Practical Guide to A Spectacular Suicide. The film, starring McGeagh in the leading role, tells the story of Tom, a troubled man whose string of failed suicide attempts leads him to plan what he dubs will be his own 'spectacular suicide'. After failing to secure funding from the Scottish arts body Creative Scotland the trio turned to the public and sourced the budget for the film through a crowd funding channel. Raising over £3000 for the production, filming began in 2013 and was completed in just 13 days. The film was released in 2014 and quickly became an international hit. On the festival circuit, the film had its American premiere at the Cinequest Film Festival in California, and in the UK the film was shown for the first time at the Edinburgh International Film Festival where Hughes was nominated for the Michael Powell Award for Best British Film. The film was further decorated with 2 nominations at the 2014 British Academy Scotland New Talent Awards for Best Film and for Best Acting Performance for Graeme McGeagh. In September 2014, Hughes was invited as a special guest to take part in the British & Irish Film season at the Ciné Utopia in Limpertsberg, Luxembourg.