Rory Dhariwal Bentley is an award winning writer-director from Leicester/Edinburgh.
His first feature film AMRIT is being developed by the BFI, BBC Films & Creative England as part of iFeatures 2019/20, the UK’s leading development lab for debut feature filmmakers. He was awarded a John Brabourne award for the project.
His independent short films - BELONGING (2019) and VARKEN (2017) - premiered as part of the Official Selection at Academy & BAFTA qualifying film festivals around the world, including Edinburgh International Film Festival, Cork Film Festival, British Shorts Berlin, Palm Springs & Aesthetica.
In 2016 he co-wrote/directed and shot the 8mm short JAMELLA, starring Jamie Demetriou (STATH LETS FLATS), which won first prize at the Straight 8 ‘One roll, no editing’ Industry Competition - beating films from Saatchi, Partizan, Mother & Aardmann.
Rory cut his teeth working in-house and freelance for award winning production companies on commercials and studio films. In 2018 he was assistant to Paul King (MIGHTY BOOSH / PADDINGTON) on a feature film for Disney, through Film London’s Equal Access Network.
He has been mentored by Sally Potter (ORLANDO) as part of the Four Corners’ Zoom programme, and is currently being mentored by Camera D’Or winner Anthony Chen (ILO ILO) as part of iFeatures / Director’s UK Inspire Scheme.
In 2019 Rory was named as one of 25 Film London Lodestars, celebrating emerging talent in the capital, and he has been a member of the BFI NETWORK x BAFTA Crew for two years.
He studied French & English Literature and, after a stint writing and marinading in Paris, is now based in London.
Represented by Mark Brennan at United Agents | MBrennan@unitedagents.co.uk