John Burgan

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Writer, director, editor & lecturer born in London in 1962, grew up in Hull, East Yorkshire. Read BA (Hons) English Language & Literature at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne 1981-1984, then worked as a picture editor at BBC TV News in London before attending the UK's National Film & TV School from 1989-1992. Lived in Berlin, Germany between 1992 – 2006, working variously as a writer, director, editor and lecturer. Documentary tutor at the European Film College, Denmark 2006-8, currently Lecturer in Media Production at Aberystwyth University, Mid-Wales.

Films as writer/director include MEMORY OF BERLIN (ZDF, 1998), part city portrait, part autobiography; BEHIND WORDS (MDR, 2005) about forced migration and ethnic cleansing in 20th century Europe; FRIENDLY ENEMY ALIEN (ZDF, 2006) telling parallel stories of German and Afghan refugees in Australia. Consulting Producer on MEMORIES OF RAIN (2004) about the underground struggle against apartheid in South Africa, screened at the Berlinale Forum. My favourite credit: "Godfather" on CINEMANIA (2002).

Currently working on a video essay commissioned by the Centre for Alternative Technology, Powys, Wales. Also in development, short film FLINTHOLM about an abandoned house in the woods of East Jutland. Coproduction with the Arhus Filmværksted.

In Autumn 2003 I was an artist-in-residence at the Villa Aurora in Los Angeles and became Co-Host of The D-Word forum for documentary professionals (www.d-word.com) in December 2005.

May the force be with you.