‏Claire Leona Apps‏

Claire Leona Apps' mother is Canadian and her father is English however she was raised in Hong Kong and Indonesia. She relocated to Britain, where she graduated in Pure Mathematics at Imperial College before completing an MA at the London Film School, graduating as a director. For the following decade her work with in the industry has been fuelled by a strong narrative drive, vivid imagination and a desire to challenge people's everyday perceptions. She has shot as far afield as Asia, directed accomplished actors, and has been commissioned by a diverse range of sponsors. Writing and directing credits include "Gweipo" (starring Francesca Annis, winner of 'Best Short' at Tiger Far East Film Festival and 'Special Jury Prize' at AFIA Film Festival), documentary "Aceh Recovers" shot in Indonesia and charting the effect of charity work on the post tsunami region, "Hubcaps and Bathtubs" (finalist at Commonwealth Vision Awards), stop animation "Plastic Love" (Filmaka level winner), "Girl Blue Running Shoe" (Art Council England Funded, seen at the Great North Museum, on BBC1 and at the Cork Film Festival), Ruminate (Starring Rebecca Hall, St. Louis International Film Festival) and a selection of noteworthy music videos. Along side her work, she founded a production company called Dog Eared Films. Six years ago, she expanded to owning a studio and unique creative hub in Central London: Dog Eared Studios. She completed her debut feature film last year, "And Then I was French" (screened at East End Film Festival, Middlebury Film Festival). It was nominated for best thriller at the National Film Awards in London, and Little White Lies and Hero Magazine announced it as a must see. The film stars Joanna Vanderham ("What Maisie Knew", "The Paradise" and presently starring with Ralph Fiennes in Richard III in the West End) is a kooky, genre-twisting commercial thriller with a surrealist tilt aimed at young adults and will be releasing through Summer Hill Films in 2017.