Arts & Sciences has added director Michelle Savill to its U.S. and U.K. rosters. This is the first U.S. and U.K. commercial representation for Savill, who has quickly established herself as an emerging talent in Australia and New Zealand where she is handled by production company Good Oil.
The child of missionary parents, Savill grew up in various parts of the Philippines before relocating to Aotearoa (New Zealand) as an adult. Millie Lies Low, Savill’s debut feature, had its international premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2022, and a U.S. premiere at the SXSW Film Festival 2022. Her commercial work includes the intimate and emotionally-resonant “Donate Your Kit” for Cadbury and Sky Olympics’ Gymnastics, made for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Additionally, she has worked with brands including Steinlager, Vodafone, Cadbury, and the United Nations.
Savill’s work has garnered numerous accolades, which include being nominated in 2019 for the Young Director Award at Cannes Lions. Her short film Ellen is Leaving won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Narrative Short Film at SXSW Film Festival 2013 and at San Francisco International Film Festival 2013. Savill’s short films have screened at Aspen, Rotterdam, Sydney, Edinburgh, Clermont-Ferrand, and Melbourne. She has continued to hone her craft, through participation in the MIFF Accelerator Programme, the Berlinale Talent Lab, a script development internship with Killer Films in New York, and a residency at Oscar Winner Emile Sherman’s See Saw Pictures.
Savill said, “Arts & Sciences understands that powerful storytelling is layered with nuance, intimacy, and a dedication to craft, and I’m delighted to join the family.”
Of the signing, Mal Ward, managing director/partner at Arts & Sciences, said, “Michelle is an exciting talent who humanizes the characters in her films with a depth of insight that belies her age. She understands that it is our struggles, vulnerabilities, and experiences that make us human, and brings those attributes forward in each of her films.”
