Nigel Edwards

My filmmaking story began in the belly of a dormitory while enlisted at the Royal Military College of Canada. All officer cadets were tasked with ensuring that their beds were perfectly made in preparation for inspection. With myself as the cameraman and sometimes subject, my delinquent comrades and I would storm our fellow cadet’s rooms, flip their beds upside down, and post it on the internet for the neighboring squadrons to share a laugh. With each subsequent video we added new characters, music, titles, and sequencing.

And thus my filmmaking career was born.

I promptly left the military college, and turned my sights to less stringent endeavors. I completed my Bachelor of Applied Arts from Capilano University School of Motion Picture Arts, and found placement assisting three executives on a NBCUniversal and CTV show (Motive) under Rob Merillees, Rob LaBelle, and Lindsay Macadam of Foundation Features. From there I went on to assist Gerard Barrett while he directed the NYT best selling adaption of “Brain on Fire” produced by Charlize Theron’s Denver and Delilah. 

In 2016, I co-founded an independent production company which produced the films “Closing The Gap: Hockey in North Korea” (2019) and “Who The Hell is Nigel?” (2021), along with numerous commercial campaigns with companies such as Duer, Stanley Park Brewing, and lululemon. My films have played festivals like DOC NYC, Whistler Film Festival, and Vancouver Short Film Festival. I’ve also been selected to be part of Pendance’s Rise Canada Director Lab, SMI’s Story to Action program, and shortlisted for Sundance’s Screenwriters Lab in 2015.  Collectively I’ve produced/directed 2 feature documentaries (one which took me to North Korea 4 times) in addition to 11 short films with one that found a home at TIFF in 2013.

I aspire to re-enter the world of narrative story-telling, and look to shows like HBO’s “Somebody Somewhere”, and Showtime’s “Couples Therapy” as examples of projects that I aim to work on. Real people dealing with everyday issues trying to find their place in the world are themes that greatly interest me. Having lost my family home to a wildfire in 2003, I look to find stories dealing with growth, resilience, and personal catastrophe.

After 15 years in the industry, I continue to be excited for what is next. I hold both a Canadian and British passport, and am usually dreaming of when I can buy a motorcycle again.