28/10/2013 - Director known for her films with Robert Carlyle and numerous television productions dies at the age of 54

British filmmaker Antonia Bird, best known for Priest, Face and Ravenous, all starring Robert Carlyle, has died after a fight against anaplastic thyroid cancer. “Despite a determined fight, she had come to terms with the inevitable in the last few weeks and died peacefully in her sleep,” her partner said in a statement. Carlyle tweeted, “Such a sad day today. RIP Antonia Bird. Farewell my beautiful friend.”

Bird began her career at The Royal Court Theatre in London and then moved to television where she directed several episodes of popular television programmes EastEnders and Casualty. Television stints in Thin Air, South Of The Border, The Bill, Saracen, TECX, The Men’s Room, Inspector Morse, Full Stretch and Peak Practice followed. The success of her debut feature, Priest, resulted in her sole Hollywood outing, Mad Love, starring Drew Barrymore and Chris O’Donnell.

Ravenous was her last feature, after which she made several television films. Her last work was directing episodes of television programme The Village. At the time of her death, Bird was prepping the feature Cross My Mind, a UK/Belgium/Netherlands co-production.

Priest won the People’s Choice Award at the Toronto film festival, Best New British Feature in Edinburgh and the Teddy Award for Best Gay-themed Feature Film in Berlin. Besides these, Bird has won three television BAFTAs and numerous accolades across Europe.

Bird’s production company 4Way Pictures was founded in partnership with Carlyle, the writer Irvine Welsh (Trainspotting) and filmmaker Mark Cousins (Here Be Dragons [+see also:
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