Brendan Cleaves

About

A filmmaker committed to originality and unfiltered storytelling.

Starting out by capturing the raw energy of Camden's local bands through my lens, I made a bold leap into promo directing, taking on roles as director, writer, and composer for my projects. My early efforts led to a UK Music Video Award nomination for my band's music video, marking the start of a career driven by a pursuit of originality and unfiltered storytelling.

Since then, I've directed music videos and commercials for both major brands and independent artists, always focused on bringing authentic, memorable stories to life. I wrote and directed my first genre short, ROGER, as a proof of concept for a feature, starring John Bradley (Game of Thrones) and comedian Seann Walsh. To date, I've directed 12 short films, including a documentary, with screenings at over one hundred prestigious festivals worldwide, including many BAFTA and Academy-qualifying events, earning multiple Melies d'Argent nominations along the way.

BAFTA memberDirectors UK memberPart of the neurodiverse communityPart of the Deaf community

Festivals, Awards & Nominations

129 listed selections, wins, and nominations across 17 projects.

Angela

Currently @ Festivals 2025-2026

9 entries
  • XXS-Kurzfilmfestival 2025 - Winner - Audience Award
  • All the Laughs Film Festival - Winner - Best Rom Com
  • LOCO 2025 (BAFTA Recognised)
  • Unrestrictive View 2025 (BIFA Qualifying)
  • Landshut Film Festival 2025
  • LA Comedy Festival 2025
  • In The Palace International Shorts Festival 2025 (Academy Qualifying)
  • Houston Comedy Festival 2025
  • Filmfest Oberursel 2025

The Tunnel

Currently @ Festivals 2024-2025

14 entries
  • Sinister Film Festival - Winner - Best Director
  • Birmingham Horror Film Festival 2024 - Winner - Best Short Film
  • Hardline Film Festival 2024 - Melies d'Argent Nomination
  • Grossmann Film Festival 2024 - Melies d'Argent Nomination
  • Flickers Rhode Island Film Festival 2024 (BAFTA Recognised & Academy Qualifying)
  • Sacramento Horror Festival 2025
  • Landshutt Film Festival 2025
  • Terror In The Bay Film Festival 2024
  • The Vancouver Horror Show Film Festival 2024
  • Ravenheart Film Festival 2024
  • Montreal Requiem Fear Fest 2024
  • The Dead And SudBuried Horrorthon 2024
  • Cinema Scares 2024
  • Celudroid 2024

Knock, Knock, (Knock)

Currently @ Festivals 2024

9 entries
  • Romford Horror Festival 2024 - Winner - Best Horror Comedy
  • Short Com (BAFTA Recognised & BIFA Qualifying)
  • Frightfest 2023
  • Dead Of Night Film Festival 2023
  • FilmQuest 2023
  • Black Sunday Film Festival 2024
  • Bonebat - Comedy of Horrors Film Fest 2024
  • Indie Horror Society Showcase 2024
  • Ravenheart Film Festival 2024

Sam and Doug

6 entries
  • Grimfest 2023
  • Grossmann Film Festival 2023 - Melies d'Argent Nomination
  • Flickers Rhode Island Film Festival 2022 (BAFTA Recognised & Academy Qualifying)
  • Trieste Science+Fiction Film Festival 2022 - Melies d'Argent Nomination
  • Newport Beach Film Festival 2022
  • FilmQuest 2022

The Dead Collectors

22 entries
  • Flickers Rhode Island Film Festival 2022 (BAFTA Recognised & Academy Qualifying) - Winner - Best Horror Comedy
  • Maniatic Film Festival 2021 (Winner - Best Film | Winner - Best Director)
  • Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival - Melies d'Argent Nomination
  • Trieste Science+Fiction Film Festival 2021 - Melies d'Argent Nomination
  • Abertoir Horror Festival 2021 - Melies d'Argent Nomination
  • Frightfest 2021
  • Screamfest LA 2021 (Best Horror/Comedy Nomination)
  • Sydney Underground Film Festival 2021
  • Exit 6 Film Festival 2021
  • NOLA Horror Film Fest 2021
  • FilmQuest 2021
  • Edmonton Short Film Festival 2021
  • Boston Science Fiction Film Festival & Marathon 2022
  • Poppy Jasper International Film Festival 2022
  • British Shorts In Berlin Festival 2022
  • Crystal Palace International Film Festival 2022
  • Mecal Pro - Barcelona International Short and Animation Festival 2022
  • Landshut Film Festival 2022
  • Calgary Underground Film Festival 2022
  • Bonebat - Comedy of Horrors Film Fest 2022
  • Tacoma Film Festival 2022
  • Hell's Half Mile Film & Music Festival 2022

Living Next Door to Alex

3 entries
  • 20th Kansas International Film Festival 2021
  • Austin Comedy Film Festival 2020 (Best International Film Nomination)
  • Laugh or Die Comedy Festival 2021

The Lawnmower Men

8 entries
  • International Motor Film Awards 2020 - Winner - Best Short Documentary
  • Film Shortage - Daily Pick
  • Edge Documentary Festival 2021 (NZ) (Academy Qualifying)
  • Luneburg Doc Fest 2020 (Canadian Screen Awards Qualifying)
  • Chagrin Documentary Film Festival 2020
  • LIFT-OFF Documentary Showcase 2020
  • Winchester Film Festival 2020
  • Sedona Film Festival 2022

The Wrong Swipe

6 entries
  • New York Comedy Festival 2020 - Winner - Best Actress (Abiola Ogunbiyi)
  • LOCO 2020/21 (BAFTA Recognised)
  • Portland Comedy Film Festival 2019 (Best International Film Nomination)
  • Austin Comedy Film Festival 2019 (Best International Director Nomination)
  • Toronto Comedy Film Festival 2019
  • Canadian International Comedy Film Festival 2020

Coldplay

3 entries
  • Portland Comedy Film Festival 2020 (Best Dark Comedy Micro Film Nomination)
  • New York Comedy Festival 2020
  • Chippo Film Festival 2020

Roger - Feature Screenplay

8 entries
  • Hollywood Blacklist - Top Comedy Scripts (www.blcklst.com) (8/10)
  • Austin Film Festival & Screenplay Conference - Semi-finalist 2018
  • Script Pipeline - Semi-finalist 2018
  • WeScreenplay - Semi-finalist 2018
  • Scriptapalooza - Semi-finalist 2018
  • Austin Short Film Festival Official Selection 2018
  • Bluecat Screenplay Competition - Semi-finalist 2018
  • Creative World Screenplay Awards - Quarter-finalist 2018

The Target - Short Screenplay

1 entries
  • Bluecat Screenplay Competition - Quarter-finalist 2018

Roger - Short Film

28 entries
  • Southhampton International Film Festival - Winner - Best Comedy
  • Independant Days Film Festival (Winner - Best Lead Actor)
  • St Louis International Film Festival (OSCAR Qualifying)
  • Foyle Film Festival (OSCAR Qualifying) (BAFTA & BIFA Recognised)
  • Show Me Your Shorts IFF (OSCAR Qualifying)
  • Aesthetica SFF (BAFTA Recognised)
  • London Short Film Festival (BAFTA Recognised)
  • Ft Lauderdale International Film Festival
  • Sunderland Shorts International Film Festival
  • Sacramento International Film Festival
  • Minneapolis St. Paul's International Film Festival
  • Laugh Or Die Comedy Festival - Best Writer Nomination
  • Southside Film Festival
  • Portland Comedy Film Festival - Best Short Nomination
  • Brooklyn International Film Festival
  • Fort Worth Indie Showcase - Best Comedy Nomination
  • Skyline Indie Film Festival
  • Kansas International Film Festival
  • Tallgrass International Film Festival
  • Chicago Comedy Film Festival
  • Hamilton Film Festival
  • Fort McMurray International Film Festival
  • Purbeck Film Festival
  • St Cloud Film Festival
  • Winchester Short Film Festival
  • Tampa Underground Film Festival (Best Comedy & Best Lead Nomination)
  • British Shorts In Berlin Festival
  • Film Shortage - Daily Pick

Building Bricks - Screenplay

1 entries
  • London Independent Film Festival - Winner 2016 - Best UK Screenplay

Sam and Doug - Screenplay

7 entries
  • Bluecat Screenplay Competition - Quarter-finalist 2016
  • Official Selection - Independent Horror Movie Awards 2016
  • Short Stop International Film Festival 2016
  • International Sci-Fi and Horror Festival 2016
  • Semi-finalist - Table Read My Screenplay 2016
  • 13 Horror Festival Official Selection 2016
  • "Best of the Post-room" by BFI's Net.Work

Hewden "Dumpers For Goal Post's" Commercial

2 entries
  • Drum Marketing Award - Winner
  • Brand Republic 2015 Nomination

"The Icing On The Cake" Script

1 entries
  • Impact 50 Rough Diamond - Finalist 2016

Death Koolaid 'The Second Rule'

1 entries
  • UKMVA Nominated