# Nicholas Connor

Nicholas Connor is an English filmmaker. Best known for his work on the film Cotton Wool. In 2017 he was awarded the 'Ones to Watch' Award by Into Film at the Odeon Leicester Square. Presented by actor Charles Dance, sponsored by EON Productions. Connor presently lives in Oldham, England.

## Career

Nicholas Connor started his career as a script supervisor and then attended the BFI Film Academy at HOME in Manchester.
In 2016 he directed Northern Lights, which received a mixed critical response. Chris Olson from UK Film Review gave the film 4 stars calling it "a beautiful piece of filmmaking". Jennie Kermode for 'Eye for Film' gave the film 3 stars, stating "Northern Lights may sometimes by lacking in energy but it doesn't outstay its welcome and overall it's an impressive debut."
In 2017, aged 17, he directed Cotton Wool with a cast including Leanne Best and Crissy Rock. The film was shot by BAFTA winning cinematographer Alan C. McLaughlin. The film was supported in its research by the British Stroke Association and received a 12A by the British Board of Film Classification. The film received a 5 star review from ScreenCritix, which stated "he is really coming into his own and certainly cementing his status as one of the UK’s hottest prospects." The film's red carpet premiere took place in Oldham, England.
In December 2017 he featured on BBC News to talk about his career. He won the UK Inspirational Children and Young Peoples Award for Arts and Culture in 2018.
In 2024, it was announced that he would be directing an adaption of the play "Maurice's Jubilee", starring Julian Glover, Susan Hampshire and Nichola McAuliffe.

## Filmography

| Year | Film | Role | Director | Notes |
| 2024 | Eventual | Director | Nicholas Connor |
| 2018 | The Narrator | Director | Nicholas Connor |
| 2017 | BBC News | Himself (Interviewee) | Roger Johnson (TV presenter) | |
| 2017 | Cotton Wool | Writer/Director | Nicholas Connor | Starring Leanne Best | Max Vento | Kate Rutter | Katie Quinn | Crissy Rock |
| 2016 | Northern Lights | Writer/Director/Producer | Nicholas Connor | Starring Rhys Cadman | Katie Quinn | Megan Grady | |
| 2015 | Think of Me | Writer/Director | Nicholas Connor | |
| 2015 | Going out | Writer/Director | Nicholas Connor | Starring Rebecca Eastham |
| 2015 | I am Belfast | Shadow of Mr Doyle & Mr Cousins | Mark Cousins | Cinematography by Christopher Doyle |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Nominated Work | Awards | Category | Result |
| 2018 | Himself | UK Inspirational Children and Young Peoples Award | Contribution to Arts and Culture | Won |
| 2018 | Cotton Wool | London Film Awards | Special Jury Award | Won |
| 2019 | Cotton Wool | Los Angeles Film Awards | Best Picture | Won |
| 2019 | Cotton Wool | Los Angeles Film Awards | Best Drama | Won |
| 2019 | Cotton Wool | Los Angeles Film Awards | Best of the Festival 2019 | Nominated |
| 2018 | Cotton Wool | British Independent Film Festival | Best Short Film | Nominated |
| 2018 | Cotton Wool | UK Film Review - Annual Awards | Best Short Film of the Year | Won |
| 2018 | Cotton Wool | UK Film Review - Annual Awards | Best Director | Nominated |
| 2018 | Cotton Wool | European Independent Film Awards | Best Director | Won |
| 2018 | Cotton Wool | European Independent Film Awards | Best Drama | Won |
| 2018 | Cotton Wool | Global Independent Film Awards | Best Drama | Won |
| 2018 | Cotton Wool | Global Independent Film Awards | Best Featurette | Won |
| 2020 | Cotton Wool | Indie Shorts Mag - Short of the Year Awards | Best Short of the Year | Won |
| 2019 | Cotton Wool | Lift-Off Season Awards 2019 | Best Director | Nominated |
| 2019 | Cotton Wool | New York Film Awards | Best Picture | Won |
| 2019 | Cotton Wool | New York Film Awards | Best Young Filmmaker | Won |
| 2019 | Cotton Wool | New York Film Awards | Best Editing | Won |
| 2019 | Cotton Wool | New York Film Awards | Best Director | Won |
| 2019 | Cotton Wool | New York Film Awards | Jury President Award | Won |
| 2019 | Cotton Wool | New York Film Awards | Best Narrative Feature | Won |
| 2019 | Cotton Wool | New York Film Awards | Best of the Festival 2019 | Nominated |
| 2019 | Cotton Wool | New York Film Awards | Best Editing of 2019 | Won |
| 2018 | Cotton Wool | Birmingham Film Festival | Best Young Director | Nominated |
| 2018 | Cotton Wool | Manchester Lift-Off Film Festival | Special Mention | Won |
| 2018 | Cotton Wool | Southampton International Film Festival | Best British Short Film | Nominated |
| 2018 | Cotton Wool | Southampton International Film Festival | Best Director | Nominated |
| 2018 | Cotton Wool | New Renaissance Film Festival | Humanity Award | Won |
| 2018 | Cotton Wool | New Renaissance Film Festival | Best Young Talent Short Narrative | Nominated |
| 2018 | Cotton Wool | Gold Movie Awards | Best Film of the Year | Nominated |
| 2018 | Cotton Wool | Gold Movie Awards | Best Featurette - Annual Award | Won |
| 2018 | Cotton Wool | Gold Movie Awards | Film of the Month | Won |
| 2018 | Cotton Wool | Gold Movie Awards | Best Featurette - Monthly Award | Won |
| 2019 | Cotton Wool | The Monthly Film Festival | Best Short Film | Won |
| 2019 | Cotton Wool | The Monthly Film Festival | Best Director | Nominated |
| 2019 | Cotton Wool | The Monthly Film Festival | Best Screenplay | Nominated |
| 2019 | Cotton Wool | The Monthly Film Festival | Best Editing | Nominated |
| 2019 | Cotton Wool | Madrid Independent Film Festival | Best Featurette | Nominated |
| 2018 | Cotton Wool | Out of the Can Film Festival | Best Drama | Won |
| 2018 | Cotton Wool | Out of the Can Film Festival | Judge's Choice Award | Won |
| 2018 | Cotton Wool | Out of the Can Film Festival | Best Screenplay | Nominated |
| 2018 | Cotton Wool | Out of the Can Film Festival | Best Lifestyle Project, Sponsored by Hellblazerbiz | Nominated |
| 2018 | Cotton Wool | IndieFlicks Short Film Festival | Director's Choice Award | Won |
| 2018 | Cotton Wool | Little Wing Film Festival | Best UK Short | Nominated |
| 2018 | Cotton Wool | Little Wing Film Festival | Best Director | Won |
| 2018 | Cotton Wool | Little Wing Film Festival | Best Screenplay | Nominated |
| 2018 | Cotton Wool | Unrestricted View Film Festival | Best Director | Nominated |
| 2018 | Cotton Wool | Unrestricted View Film Festival | Best Screenplay | Nominated |
| 2018 | Cotton Wool | Unrestricted View Film Festival | Best Short Film | Nominated |
| 2018 | The Narrator | Carmarthen Bay Film Festival (BAFTA Cyrmru Qualifying) | Rising Star Award | Won |
| 2018 | The Narrator | St Albans Film Festival | Best Short Film | Nominated |
| 2018 | The Narrator | Bolton Film Festival | Best UK Student Film | Won |
| 2018 | The Narrator | Out of the Can Film Festival | Ento Live Young Filmmaker Award 2018 | Won |
| 2017 | Himself | Into Film Awards | Ones to Watch Award (Presented by Charles Dance and Barbara Broccoli) | Won |
| 2017 | Northern Lights | UK Monthly Film Festival | Film of the Year | Won |
| 2016 | Northern Lights | UK Monthly Film Festival | Best Feature Film | Won |
| 2016 | Northern Lights | TMC London Film Festival | Best Young Filmmaker | Won |
| 2016 | Northern Lights | Ouchy Film Awards | Best Director | Nominated |
| 2016 | Northern Lights | The Monkey Bread Tree Awards | Best Feature Film | Won |
| 2016 | Northern Lights | The Monkey Bread Tree Awards | Best Director | Nominated |
| 2016 | Think of Me | Into Film Awards | Film of the Month | Won |
| 2016 | Think of Me | Leeds Young Film Festival | Independent Directions Award | Nominated |
| 2016 | Think of Me | Selby International Film Festival | Best Short Film | Nominated |
| 2016 | Think of Me | HOME (Manchester) Filmed up Festival | Audience Award (Best Short Film) | Won |

## Festivals Accolations

| Film Festival | Film | Notes |
| St Albans Film Festival | The Narrator | Official Selection |
| Liverpool Short Film Festival | The Narrator | Official Selection |
| Carmarthen Bay Film Festival (BAFTA Cyrmru Qualifying) | The Narrator | Official Selection |
| Bucharest ShortCut Cinefest | The Narrator | Official Selection |
| Earl's Court Film Festival | The Narrator | Official Selection |
| Out Of The Can Film Festival | The Narrator | Official Selection |
| Sheffield Showroom Shorts | The Narrator | Official Selection |
| Bolton International Film Festival | The Narrator | Official Selection |
| Portobello Film Festival | The Narrator | Official Selection |
| Harrogate Film Festival | The Narrator | Official Selection |
| UK CineFest | The Narrator | Official Selection |
| BFI Future Film Presents Scene Film Festival | The Narrator | Official Selection |
| Leigh Short Film Festival | The Narrator | Official Selection |
| London International Motion Picture Awards (L.I.M.P.A) | The Narrator | Official Selection |
| Manchester Lift-Off Film Festival | The Narrator | Official Selection |
| London-Worldwide Comedy Short Film Festival | The Narrator | Honourable Mention |
| Cleveland International Film Festival | Cotton Wool | Hot List |
| British Independent Film Festival | Cotton Wool | Official Selection |
| Los Angeles Lift-Off Film Festival | Cotton Wool | Official Selection |
| New Renaissance Film Festival (London) | Cotton Wool | Official Selection |
| Newark International Film Festival | Cotton Wool | Official Selection |
| European Independent Film Awards | Cotton Wool | Official Selection |
| Los Angeles Film Awards | Cotton Wool | Official Selection |
| Derby Film Festival | Cotton Wool | Official Selection |
| Southampton International Film Festival | Cotton Wool | Official Selection |
| Unrestricted View Film Festival | Cotton Wool | Official Selection |
| New York Film Awards | Cotton Wool | Official Selection |
| Indie Shorts Mag - Short of the Year Awards | Cotton Wool | Official Selection |
| Little Wing Film Festival | Cotton Wool | Official Selection |
| London International Motion Picture Awards (L.I.M.P.A) | Cotton Wool | Official Selection |
| Birmingham Film Festival | Cotton Wool | Official Selection |
| Newcastle International Film Festival | Cotton Wool | Official Selection |
| Bristol Independent Film Festival | Cotton Wool | Official Selection |
| Global Independent Film Awards | Cotton Wool | Official Selection |
| Scottish Mental Health Film Festival | Cotton Wool | Official Selection |
| Madrid Independent Film Festival | Cotton Wool | Official Selection |
| Manchester Lift-Off Film Festival | Cotton Wool | Official Selection |
| Manchester Screenplays and Shorts Film Festival | Cotton Wool | Official Selection |
| London Film Awards | Cotton Wool | Official Selection |
| Gold Movie Awards | Cotton Wool | Official Selection |
| IndieFlicks International Film Festival | Cotton Wool | Official Selection |
| MancMade 53Two Film Festival | Cotton Wool | Official Selection |
| The Monthly Film Festival (Glasgow) | Cotton Wool | Official Selection |
| UK Film Review - Annual Awards | Cotton Wool | Official Selection |
| Out Of The Can Film Festival | Cotton Wool | Official Selection |
| Scottish Mental Health Film Festival | Northern Lights | Official Selection |
| UK Monthly Film Festival | Northern Lights | Official Selection |
| TMC London Film Festival | Northern Lights | Official Selection |
| Manchester Lift-Off Film Festival | Northern Lights | Official Selection |
| The Monkey Bread Tree Awards | Northern Lights | Official Selection |
| Ouchy Film Awards | Northern Lights | Official Selection |
| UK Screen One International Film Festival | Northern Lights | Official Selection |
| Unrestricted View Film Festival | Northern Lights | Official Selection |
| London Film Awards | Northern Lights | Official Selection |
| Leeds Young Film Festival | Think of Me | Official Selection |
| Pennine Film Festival | Think of Me | Official Selection |
| Nightpiece Film Festival | Think of Me | Official Selection |
| HOME (Manchester) Filmed up Festival | Think of Me | Official Selection |
| Into Film of the Month | Think of Me | Official Selection |
| Selby International Film Festival | Think of Me | Official Selection |

## Personal life

Connor grew up in his hometown of Oldham. His sister is LPGA golf professional 'Rachel Connor'.