# Sands Films

Sands Films is a small, independent, British film production company, founded by producer Richard Goodwin and director Christine Edzard in the early 1970s, and based in Rotherhithe, London. The company is known for its production of costumes for period dramas and is run by Olivier Stockman and Christine Edzard. Since 2005 the building has been open to the public regularly via the Sands Films Cinema Club and Music Room, adding to the "remarkable and very valuable operation, which not only creates in-house, but also opens a window on another world."

## Background

The building that Sands Films occupies is a former granary, now a grade II listed building. The business was founded in 1975 and, since 1976, it has housed a small film stage, film theatre, picture library, workshops and costume stores. The Goodwins initially used the derelict building rent-free, on the basis they completely repaired and renovated the property. Managing director Olivier Stockman has worked for Sands Studios since 1980.
In 2011, the company's annual turnover exceeded £1 million for the first time. After its rent almost quadrupled since 2000 and it had been asked to pay back-rent for an unrenovated part of the building, the company began to raise funds to purchase the property. This included selling shares at £500 each, and later in 2012, they successfully bought the property, with plans to modernise its production facilities. The studio and its struggle to survive increasing rent and costs was the subject of a BBC Inside Out program in 2012. The BBC film also highlights the four generations who have worked at Sands since it was founded.
As an independent film production studio Sands Films has its own soundproof stage, workshops, costume department, set construction workshop, cutting room, cinema and other services needed to make films. It is a self-sufficient and fully integrated production facility. Cinema and television companies as varied as Working Title, Talkback, BBC, Channel 4, Freemantle, Ridley Scott Associates, Sky TV, the Royal Opera House, the New York Metropolitan Opera and Canal+ have used the facilities at Sands Films for their projects.
The weekly film club is free, with donations invited, and is housed in a "cosy" cinema in the 18th century building which contains "a myriad of aesthetically pleasing spaces". These include music performances, book launches, political debates and theatre productions, as well as the non-digital Rotherhithe Picture Research Library which is an educational trust and is open to all at no cost.
With the covid-19 lockdown the studio intensified its live streaming activities. Stockman explained:
   “Sands Films always had a connection with live music and music performance in general. But during the Covid lockdown, the studio’s recording and broadcasting facilities were made available to musicians who were deprived of their live audience, and therefore of their income. We offered the Music Room as accessible and open to all: without a paywall, fees or anything. All we asked is for donations from those who can afford it."
Since then all Sands Films’ music events have been hybrid, with a live audience in the theatre, online viewers at home and unrestricted access remaining the same. While performers are paid a minimum guarantee, Stockman says:
   "Our open door policy reflects the fact that art and culture should not be treated as commodities. Music, in particular, is destined to all and should not be conditional upon a financial transaction.”
Griff Rhys Jones has described Sands Films as "romantic and inspiring; efficient, fun and creative. I love working down there. I love the atmosphere. You feel lucky to be there and privileged to get stuck into the serious business of creating fantasy in such surroundings.”

## Productions

Productions by Sands Films include Stories from a Flying Trunk (1979), The Nightingale (1981), Biddy (1983), Little Dorrit (1987), Old Ways New Ways (1988), The Fool (1989), As You Like It (1991), Amahl and the Night Visitors (1996), The IMAX Nutcracker (1997), The Children's Midsummer Night's Dream (2001) and The Good Soldier Schwejk (2018).
The studio has delivered full production packages to companies requiring a London studio base, such as A Passage to India (1984) and Bright Star (2009). Sands Films was the production base for The Long Day Closes (1992), including the building of all sets. Sands Films supplied facilities to Working Title's productions of Anna Karenina (2012) and Les Miserables (2012), and to Touching the Void (2003). The studio was a co-production partner on A Dangerous Man: Lawrence After Arabia (1990), La luna en botella (2007) and Garbo: El espia (2009).
Other films the company has been involved in for production services include Agatha Christie films produced by EMI - Death on the Nile) (1978), The Mirror Crack'd (1980), Evil Under The Sun (1982) - and Seven Years in Tibet (1997). Sands hand-embroidered the costumes for the main characters in the BBC's 2015 series Wolf Hall.
In 2017, Sands Films produced The Good Soldier Schwejk, written and directed by Christine Edzard and based on The Good Soldier Švejk by Jaroslav Hašek. The project partly was funded by the auction of a costume worn by Mark Rylance in the BBC's Wolf Hall.
Filming began in October 2024 for a new production called The Man with the Plan which will star Simon Callow as William Beveridge and comedian Mark Thomas as the Narrator. Comedian Hal Cruttenden will also appear as Winston Churchill, and Andrew Tiernan as Nye Bevan The film tells the story of a young woman of today who discovers Beveridge's 1942 report - the Plan - which led to the founding of the welfare state.
Sands Films Productions :
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer | Awards |
| 1979 | Stories from a Flying Trunk | Christine Edzard | Hans Christian Andersen, Christine Edzard | John Brabourne, Richard Goodwin | |
| 1981 | The Nightingale | Christine Edzard | Hans Christian Andersen | Richard B. Goodwin | Won award at 12th International Short and Documentary Film Festival, Lille, 1982. |
| 1983 | Biddy | Christine Edzard | Christine Edzard | Richard B. Goodwin | Celia Bannerman (as Biddy) won an award at the Moscow Film Festival |
| 1987 | Little Dorrit | Christine Edzard | Charles Dickens, Christine Edzard | John Brabourne, Richard B. Goodwin | Two Academy Award nominations for Actor in a Supporting Role (Alec Guinness and Writing (screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium) (Christine Edzard) LA Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress (Miriam Margolyes) Two BAFTA Award nominations for Best Screenplay – Adapted, and Best Costume Design, and one for the Golden Globes (USA) for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role Evening Standard Award for Best Actor in 1987 (Derek Jacobi) |
| 1988 | Old Ways New Ways | Olivier Stockman | Olivier Stockman | Trevor Ingman |
| 1990 | The Fool | Christine Edzard | Christine Edzard, Olivier Stockman | Celia Bannerman | |
| 1991 | As You Like It | Christine Edzard | William Shakespeare, Christine Edzard | Olivier Stockman, George Reinhart | |
| 1996 | Amahl and the Night Visitors | Christine Edzard | Gian Carlo Menotti, Christine Edzard | Olivier Stockman | |
| 1997 | The IMAX Nutcracker | Christine Edzard | E. T. A. Hoffmann, Christine Edzard | Celia Bannerman, Andrew Gellis, Lorne Orleans, Olivier Stockman | |
| 2001 | The Children's Midsummer Night's Dream | Christine Edzard | William Shakespeare, Christine Edzard | Olivier Stockman | |
| 2018 | The Good Soldier Schwejk | Christine Edzard | Jaroslav Hašek, Christine Edzard | Olivier Stockman |

## Making and supplying of period costumes

| Year | Title | | Designer | Academy Award Best Costumes | BAFTA/ Other Award Best Costumes |
| 1992 | A Dangerous Man: Lawrence After Arabia | TV movie | Claudie Gastine | | |
| 1994 | The NeverEnding Story III: Escape from Fantasia | film | Vin Burnham, Monique Prudhomme | | |
| 1994 | Screen Two Episode: Hope in the Year Two | TV series | | | |
| 1997 | Amistad | film | Ruth Carter | Nominee | |
| 1997 | Oscar and Lucinda | film | Janet Patterson | Nominee | |
| 1997 | The Woman in White | TV series | Odile Dicks-Mireaux | | |
| 1999 | Great Expectations | film | Odile Dicks-Mireaux | | Winner |
| 1999 | Topsy-Turvy | film | Lindy Hemming | Winner | |
| 1999 | Les Enfants du Siecle | film | Anaïs Romand | | |
| 2000 | Gormenghast | TV series | Odile Dicks-Mireaux | | Nominee |
| 2001 | The Lady and the Duke | film | Pierre-Jean Larroque | | |
| 2002 | Gangs of New York | film | Sandy Powell | Nominee | Nominee |
| 2002 | Tipping the Velvet | TV mini series | Susannah Buxton | | |
| 2003 | The Lost Prince | film | Odile Dicks-Mireaux | | |
| 2004 | Vanity Fair | film | Beatrix Aruna Pasztor | | Winner Satellite Awards |
| 2004 | Stage Beauty | film | Tim Hatley | | |
| 2004 | Phantom of the Opera | film | Alexandra Byrne | | |
| 2005 | Pride and Prejudice | film | Jacqueline Durran | Nominee | Nominee |
| 2005 | Oliver Twist | film | Anna B. Sheppard | | |
| 2005 | Une Vie | TV Movie | Catherine Leterrier | | |
| 2005 | Fingersmith | TV series | Susannah Buxton | | |
| 2006 | Marie Antoinette | film | Milena Canonero | Winner | Nominee |
| 2007 | Becoming Jane | film | Eimer Ni Mhaoldomhnaigh | | Nominee Irish Awards |
| 2007 | Atonement | film | Jacqueline Durran | Nominee | Nominee |
| 2007 | Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street | film | Colleen Atwood | Nominee | Nominee |
| 2007-2008 | Lark Rise to Candleford | TV series | Phoebe De Gaye, Pam Downe | | |
| 2008 | The Other Boleyn Girl | film | Sandy Powell | | |
| 2008 | The Duchess | film | Michael O'Connor | Winner | Winner |
| 2008 | John Adams | TV series | Donna Zakowska | | |
| 2009 | Bright Star | film | Janet Patterson | Nominee | Nominee |
| 2009 | The Young Victoria | film | Sandy Powell | Winner | Winner |
| 2009 | Creation | film | Louise Stjernsward | | |
| 2010 | Burke and Hare | film | Deborah Landis | | |
| 2010 | Alice in Wonderland | film | Colleen Atwood | Winner | Winner |
| 2010 | The Tempest | film | Sandy Powell | Nominee | |
| 2011 | Wuthering Heights | film | Steven Noble | | |
| 2011 | Albert Nobbs | film | Pierre-Yves Gayraud | | |
| 2011 | La Princesse de Montpensier | film | Caroline de Vivaise | | Nominee Cesar Awards |
| 2011 | Jane Eyre | film | Michael O'Connor | Nominee | Nominee |
| 2011 | Anonymous | film | Lisy Christl | Nominee | |
| 2011 | L'Apollonide | film | Anaïs Romand | | Winner César Awards |
| 2012, 2016 | The Hollow Crown | TV series | Odile Dicks-Mireaux Nigel Egerton | | Nominee BAFTA Craft Awards |
| 2012 | Lincoln | film | Joanna Johnston | Nominee | Nominee |
| 2012 | Bel Ami | film | Odile Dicks-Mireaux | | |
| 2012 | Les Miserables | film | Paco Delgado | Nominee | Nominee |
| 2012 | Anna Karenina | film | Jacqueline Durran | Winner | Winner |
| 2012 | Great Expectations | film | Beatrix Aruna Pasztor | | Nominee |
| 2012 | Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter | film | Varvara Avdyushko, Carlo Poggioli | | |
| 2012 | The Raven | film | Carlo Poggioli | | |
| 2012 | Quartet | film | Odile Dicks-Mireaux | | |
| 2013 | 12 Years a Slave | film | Patricia Norris | Nominee | |
| 2013 | The Invisible Woman | film | Michael O'Connor | Nominee | Nominee |
| 2013 | La Religieuse | film | Anaïs Romand | | |
| 2013 | The Devil's Violinist | film | Birgit Hutter | | |
| 2013 | Pride and Prejudice: Having a Ball | TV movie | Amy Cartwright | | |
| 2014 | Mr Turner | film | Jacqueline Durran | Nominee | Nominee |
| 2014 | Amour Fou | film | Tanja Hausner | | |
| 2014 | A Little Chaos | film | Joan Bergin | | |
| 2014 | Outlander S1 | TV series | Terry Dresbach, Glenne Campbell | | |
| 2014 | Casanova Variations | film | Andreas Donhauser, Renate Martin | | |
| 2015 | Far from the Madding Crowd | film | Janet Patterson | | Nominee Satellite Awards |
| 2015 | Macbeth | film | Jacqueline Durran | | Nominee Satellite Awards |
| 2015 | Wolf Hall | TV series | Joanna Eatwell | | |
| 2015 | Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell | TV series | Barbara Kidd | | |
| 2015 | Cinderella | film | Sandy Powell | Nominee | Nominee, Nominee Satellite Awards |
| 2015 | If It Be Love | film | Johanna Elf | | |
| 2016 | Roots | TV series | Diana Cilliers Ruth Carter | | Nominee Creative Arts Emmy Awards |
| 2016 | Victoria | TV series | Rosalind Ebbutt | | |
| 2016 | To Walk Invisible | TV movie | Tom Pye | | |
| 2016 | A Dangerous Fortune | TV Movie | Eimer Ni Mhaoldomhnaigh | | |
| 2016 | Love & Friendship | film | Eimer Ni Mhaoldomhnaigh | | |
| 2016 | Outlander S2 | TV series | Terry Dresbach | | Nominee Emmy (for "Not In Scotland Anymore") |
| 2017 | Taboo | TV series | Joanna Eatwell | | |
| 2017 | Victoria and Abdul | film | Consolata Boyle | Nominee | |
| 2017 | Will | TV series | Kym Barrett | | |
| 2017 | Tulip Fever | film | Michael O'Connor | | |
| 2017 | Beauty and the Beast | film | Jacqueline Durran | Nominee | Nominee |
| 2017 | Harlots | TV series | Edward Gibbon | | |
| 2017 | Outlander S3 | TV series | Terry Dresbach | | Nominee Emmy (for "Freedom & Whisky") |
| 2018 | Peterloo | film | Jacqueline Durran | | |
| 2018 | The Sisters Brothers | film | Milena Canonero | | Nominee César Awards |
| 2018 | Mary Magdalene | film | Jacqueline Durran | | |
| 2018 | Un Peuple et son Roi | film | Anaïs Romand | | Nominee César Awards |
| 2018 | Le Retour du Heros | film | Pierre Jean Larroque | | |
| 2018 | Harlots 2 | TV series | Charlotte Mitchell | | |
| 2018 | Outlander S4 | TV series | Terry Dresbach, Nina Ayres | | |
| 2019 | Little Women | film | Jacqueline Durran | Winner | Winner |
| 2019 | The Personal History of David Copperfield | film | Suzie Harman Robert Worley | | Winner BIFA, Winner Satellite Awards |
| 2019 | Gentleman Jack | TV series | Tom Pye | | |
| 2019 | Harlots 3 | TV Series | Richard Cooke | | |
| 2020 | Ammonite | film | Michael O'Connor | | Nominee, Nominee BIFA |
| 2020 | Outlander S5 | TV series | Trisha Biggar | | |
| 2021 | The Irregulars | TV series | Edward Gibbon | | |
| 2021 | The Electrical Life of Louis Wain | film | Michael O'Connor | | |
| 2022 | The Gilded Age S1 | TV series | Kasia Walicka Maimone, Patrick Wiley | | |
| 2022 | Emily | film | Michael O'Connor | | |
| 2022 | Chevalier | film | Oliver Garcia | | |
| 2022 | Outlander S6 | TV series | Trisha Biggar | | |
| 2022 | The Corn is Green (National Theatre) | theatre | Ultz | | |
| 2022 | A Christmas Carol (Old Vic) | theatre | Rob Howell | | |
| 2023 | Firebrand | film | Michael O'Connor | | |
| 2023 | The Gilded Age S2 | TV series | Kasia Walicka Maimone, Patrick Wiley | | |
| 2023 | Jeanne du Barry | film | Jurgen Doering | | Nominee César Awards |
| 2023 | The Little Mermaid | film | Colleen Atwood | | |
| 2023 | Napoleon | film | David Crossman Janty Yates | Nominee | Nominee |
| 2023 | Outlander S7 | TV series | Trisha Biggar | | |
| 2023 | The Great S3 | TV series | Sharon Long | | Winner Emmy (for "Choose Your Weapon") |
| 2023 | Tom Jones | TV series | Hazel Webb Crozier | | |
| 2024 | A Thousand Blows | TV series | Maja Meschede | | |
| 2024 | Manhunt | TV miniseries | Katie Irish | | |
| 2024 | Mary & George | TV miniseries | Annie Symons | | |
| 2024 | Renegade Nell | TV series | Tom Pye | | |
| 2024 | Belgravia: The Next Chapter | TV series | Phoebe De Gaye | | |
| 2024 | The Count of Monte Cristo | film | Thierry Delettre | | |
| 2024 | The Count of Monte Cristo | TV series | Ursula Patzak | | |