Flying High, Longlist - Branded

WePresents, Riz Ahmed - The Long Goodbye

Aneil Karia

Somesuch

Aneil Karia is a writer and director with a keen observational practice. His natural interest in city life and social codes has led to powerful, explorative pieces of narrative cinema. Aneil’s career got off to a flying start after his graduation film ‘Spilt Milk’ won the Royal Television Society Student Award and was broadcast on the BBC. This led to music videos for Jonsi, Wave Machines, Deptford Goth and Dizzee Rascal, commercials for Coca Cola and Nintendo, and several video elements for the London Olympics Opening Ceremony. Aneil has directed several award-winning short films including ‘Beat’, starring Ben Whishaw, which screened at 50 festivals worldwide. His follow-up, ‘Tag’ was commissioned by the BBC to launch their iPlayer exclusive content. And his Film4-financed film ‘Work’ was nominated for a BAFTA and a BIFA for Best Short. In 2019, Aneil directed the closing 3 episodes of TOP BOY 3 for Netflix. He also helmed the opening blocks of Netflix’s ‘Lovesick’ and Channel 4’s 2019 drama ‘Pure’. In the same year, he directed ‘Trouble’ for Kano and Ghetts. The short film was praised for its stirring depiction of street violence. This film won Best Special Video Project at the 2019 UKMVAs. Aneil’s debut feature film ‘Surge’ recently premiered at Sundance Film Festival 2020 where the lead Ben Whishaw won the World Cinema Best Actor Jury Prize. The film was produced by Rooks Nest for BBC Films and BFI. Most recently Aneil directed ‘The Long Goodbye’ for Riz Ahmed, a short film set in an imagined alt-right nightmare of Britain, made in partnership with WeTransfer and 'Teardrops' for Kano. Aneil studied at the National Film and Television School. He is based in London.