John English

John is the co-founder of OTOXO Productions, an multi-award winning production company, which creates character focused, narrative driven docs, centred around inspiring social struggle, defiant joy, and radical resistance.

John makes films for broadcasters and platforms such as Filmin, The Guardian, TV3, RakutenTV, El Pais, & BTV, and his films have picked up prizes in festivals across the globe.

He most recently directed the award winning feature documentary, Unbound, about a group of abuse survivors from the ballet world, who start a radical, inclusive, new company to fight for justice and ‘reclaim the stage’. It is a co-production with TV3 and had its world Premiere at DocsBarcelona, French premiere at FIPADOC, North American premiere at ReFrame Film Festival, and won the Jury Prize at Central Scotland Doc Fest. It has global distribution with Journeyman Pictures.

Beyond directing, he is also a producer and story consultant, working primarily with emerging talents. He is currently collaborating with directors such as Carina Haouchine on her debut feature doc – Dungeon Masterhood – recently backed by ScreenScotland, and Priya Woods on her upcoming feature doc Still, Life, which won best Short at DocsBarcelona 2024.

Also, through OTOXO’s unique ‘INto INdustry’ programme John heads up a team that gives young, creative individuals a combination of rigorous training & professional filmmaking opportunities, to help them become industry professionals in their own right. The programme is based in Barcelona and also has a partnership with Sheffield DocFest.

Filmography in our catalog