Draft:Christopher Hanvey

Born: Christopher Hanvey, Portadown Northern Ireland Nationality: Northern Irish Occupation: Filmmaker, Director, Actor, Producer


'Early Life and Education' Christopher Hanvey was born in Portadown Northern Ireland during the period known as “The Troubles,” a time of intense political and civil conflict. Growing up in a working-class environment, he was influenced by the societal complexities of his homeland, which would later shape his later. Hanvey graduated from Guildford School of Acting in 2004 and was recognised with The Stage Newspaper’s Expert Choice for his West End showcase in 2004.

Career Hanvey’s career began in the early 2000s, initially as an actor, writer, and producer. His theatrical credits include performances in The Just Assassin at the Young Vic, Lead Us into Temptation [1] at the Old Red Lion, and television roles in Pobol y Cwm [2] , The Bill [3], Holby Blue [4], and the BAFTA-nominated Coming Down the Mountain alongside Nicholas Hoult [5]. His radio credits include Just Cause for RTÉ, written by Gary Mitchell.

Hanvey’s theatrical works have been critically acclaimed, including the New York premiere of his solo memoir Punk ‘Troubles’ Kid at The Tank (Off-Broadway), The Native, a Native American reservation-set solo show directed by RSC alumnus Heather Davies. His play Justice, premiered at the Old Red Lion Theatre in the Summer of 2005 where it garnered TimeOut Critics’ Choice and Show of the Week. He starred in the acclaimed Horror Short Night Land [6] directed by Christian Burnett, a film won multiple awards and reached an audience of over 580,000 viewers worldwide. He is also credited with revitalizing Gary Mitchell’s career through the production of Suicide Brunette.

Filmmaking Career As a director, Hanvey gained significant recognition for his work on Liberté [7], a film produced during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Premiering at the St. Louis International Film Festival, it was shown alongside works by Jonathan Glazer, Andrea Arnold, and Kenneth Branagh. The film later secured a major broadcast deal with A+E Networks & History [8], and continues to be broadcast in over 77 countries worldwide. The film’s success brought Hanvey international attention, with coverage in Variety <ref>https://variety.com/2023/film/global/noor-inayat-khan-sky-history-liberte-1235478560/<ref>, BBC <ref>https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00100vr<ref>, The Washington Times <ref>https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/sep/19/little-known-wwii-spy-story-debut-in-us-this-week/<ref>, The Independent, TimeOut London, and Graydon Carter’s Air Mail <ref>https://airmail.news/arts-intel/highlights/a-spy-like-no-other-610<ref>.

Hanvey is the founder and CEO of ANARCHY!, a Development studio and production house, where he oversees a range of projects in film, television, and digital content. As a director and instructor, he has worked with hundreds of clients, including those from Slick Films <ref>https://slickfilms.co.uk<ref>, an Academy Award-winning company, and ANARCHY! ACTORS STUDIO, where he has directed over 3,000 pieces of content.

Current Projects Hanvey’s ongoing work includes the boxing documentary Tale of the Tape, the psycho-horror film Troy Must Burn!, his Debut Novel Punk ‘Troubles’ Kid and a music video collaboration with Brooklyn-based band Lovehoney. His screenplay Loyalty placed in the top 10% of the BBC Writer’s Room Open Call.

Legacy and Influence Hanvey is known for his diverse and boundary-pushing work, drawing from his Northern Irish roots and experiences during ‘The Troubles’ to inform his storytelling. His projects often explore themes of identity, conflict, and personal transformation.

Credits Film Year - 2024. Title - Punk 'Troubles' Kid. Role - Writer, Director, Producer, Actor. Notes - Anarchy! Year - 2021. Title - Liberté. Role - Director, Producer. Notes - Sky History Year - 2017. Title - False Heads: Twenty Nothing. Role - Director, Producer Year - 2016. Title - False Heads: Weigh In. Role - Director, Producer Year - 2015. Title - Night Land. Role - Jake. Notes - With an I


Television Year - 2007. Title - Coming Down the Mountain. Role - Tattoo Man. Notes - Tiger Aspect Year - 2007. Title - Holy Blue. Role - Junkie. Notes - Red Planet Year - 2005. Title - The Bill. Role - Pete Miller. Notes - Talkback Thames Year - 2003. Title - Pool y Cwm. Role - Roy. Notes - BBC Wales S4C

Radio Year - 2008. Title - Just 'Cause. Role - Tattoo Man. Notes - Tiger Aspect


Theatre Year - 2023. Title - Punk 'Troubles' Kid. Role - Writer, Producer, Actor. Notes - The Tank, NYC Year - 2010. Title - The Native. Role - Writer, Producer, Marshall Crane. Notes - Old Red Lion Theatre, London Year - 2010. Title - Suicide Brunette. Role - Writer, Producer. Notes - Old Red Lion Theatre, London Year - 2008. Title - Lead us into temptation. Role - Writer, Producer, Jackie Finch. Notes - Old Red Lion Theatre, London Year - 2007. Title - Lead us into temptation. Role - Writer, Producer, Jackie Finch. Notes - Old Museum Arts Centre, Belfast Year - 2007. Title - The Just Assassin. Role - Lead Ensemble. Notes - Young Vic Theatre, London Year - 2005. Title - Justice. Role - Writer, Producer, Chris Carson. Notes - Old Red Lion Theatre, London


References

edit