Six 'Best of British' masterclasses

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DocHouse in collaboration with The Grierson Trust are delighted to feature six acclaimed British documentary makers - Kim Longinotto, Angus Macqueen, Roger Graef, Clive Gordon, Penny Woolcock and Sean McAllister – in this series of Masterclasses.

Each filmmaker will show their rarely seen early work alongside new documentaries and reflect on the influences and inspirations that have shaped their careers. Don’t miss this fantastic opportunity to meet the makers and discover the disparate creative approaches that make up ‘British Documentary.’

Masterclass One - Angus Macqueen

Wednesday 10th May, Barbican 7.00pm

This highly respected filmmaker has recently been appointed head of documentaries at Channel4 Television. His early work concentrated on the collapse of the Soviet Union and its European Empire, from The Hand of Stalin, to The Death of Yugoslavia. More recently he has directed the observational film Dancing for Dollars, Cocaine and the Grierson Award winning Last Peasants.

Masterclass Two - Sean McAllister

Wednesday 17th May, ICA, 8.15pm

Sean McAllister left school at 16 and spent the next decade on the dole, he worked summers in a pea factory. Here he made his first film The Season which gained him a place at the National Film and Television School. McAllister has gone on to win numerous awards for his documentaries including the Special Jury Prize at Sundance 2005 for his latest film Liberace of Baghdad. His films include Working for the Enemy, The Minders and Hull's Angels.

Masterclass Three - Clive Gordon

Wednesday 24th May, Riverside Studios, 7.30pm

Since his BAFTA winning début film Children of Chernobyl in 1991, Clive Gordon has directed a string of award winning documentaries including Moscow Central, The Betrayed, Men In Pink and The Lost Boys. At times controversial, his films often address devastating political issues from a highly authored and emotional perspective. His first feature film Cargo premiered at Sundance in January.

Masterclass Four - Penny Woolcock

Wednesday 7th June, Riverside Studios, 7.30pm

Penny Woolcock has been making films for the BBC and Channel 4 for nearly two decades. Her work, including Tina Goes Shopping, The Wet House and The Death of Klinghoffer, crosses the line between documentary and fiction, challenging accepted definitions of the genre. Alongside Grammy and BAFTA nominations she has won numerous awards including the Prix Italia and Special Jury Prize at Brussels.

Masterclass Five - Kim Longinotto

Wednesday 14th June, Barbican, 7.00pm

Kim Longinotto is one of the internationally pre-eminent documentary filmmakers working today. Kim studied at the National Film and Television School where she made Theatre Girls, her graduation film. Since then she has made films around the world exploring universal women's issues by focusing on their intimate relationships. Her now extensive repertoire includes the internationally acclaimed Divorce Iranian Style, The Day I will Never Forget, and her latest film Sisters in Law which won a Grierson Award in 2005.

Masterclass Six - Roger Graef

Wednesday 21st June, ICA, 8.15pm

Roger Graef is best known for his pioneering work exposing closed institutions from ministries to courts and prisons. His groundbreaking films include the Thames Valley Police - which helped change the way the police deal with rape victims and In Search of Law and Order - an exploration of radical new ways to change juvenile rehabilitation. More recently, he has exec-produced many award winning documentaries. Roger is a Grierson Trustee and in 2004 he was awarded the BAFTA Fellowship for outstanding achievement. Roger will be in conversation with Richard Klein - Senior Commissioning Executive, BBC.