JOE MURPHY-ROE
(Formerly Joe Morris)
WRITER/DIRECTOR
Joe is a queer writer and director from Sheffield with a creative interest in LGBTQ history and contemporary social issues in active development with the BFI on his debut feature WE ARE DANCERS.
He received his first commission from the UK Film Council through Screen Yorkshire to produce his short film BOY, which was screened at Encounters, London Shorts, Cork International, Leeds International and was nominated for various awards. It had a theatrical release in Sheffield and was released online with BBC Films.
He was then successful in two further commissions with the UKFC/Screen Yorkshire to develop and produce his short films DEMOB (screened at Aesthetica) and JUNK, which was nominated for Best British Short at the Iris Prize as well as for awards at the European Spiritual Film Festival, Melbourne Queer, Amsterdam LGBTQ and Leeds International. It screened at Mezipatra, Ljubljana and Merlinka queer festivals and was distributed by New Queer Visions.
His short film WE ARE DANCERS was nominated for a Student Academy Award, shortlisted for a Best Short Film BAFTA nomination (the first time a top ten shortlist was put together by BAFTA), longlisted for the Best Short Film BIFA and was Highly Commended at the Iris Prize. It also received a Special Mention at Mumbai International Queer Film Festival and was screened at BFI Flare, Camerimage, Moscow Shorts, Copenhagen Shorts and queer and independent festivals in America, Australia, Hong Kong, Canada and throughout Europe. It was picked up by Peccadillo Pictures and distributed as part of their world-famous short film collection, Boys on Film, in edition 21.
Joe is a member of BAFTA Connect and a BIFA voter. He was selected for the inaugural Screen Yorkshire Flex development lab as well as the BFI NETWORK x BAFTA Crew Mentoring program under the award-winning queer writer/director, Levan Akin.
He received Early Development Funding from BFI Network and a BFI Development Award to develop a feature-length adaptation of WE ARE DANCERS. With ongoing support from the BFI, he is currently developing the second draft.
Joe is also a creative writing undergraduate at the University of Nottingham and a filmmaking postgraduate at the Northern Film School.
Watch his previous films:
