Barnaby Southcombe's journey in the entertainment industry began at University College London, where he pursued a dual degree in French and History of Art. It was during his time at university that he became involved in theatre, laying the groundwork for his future endeavors.
After graduating, Southcombe directed an adaptation of Harold Pinter's 'Betrayal' at the Studio des Champs Elysées in Paris, demonstrating his early talent for direction.
He then went on to participate in the NYU S.C.E film program, where he wrote and directed his first short films. This experience led to him working for Film and TV company Communicado in Auckland, New Zealand.
Returning to London, Southcombe segued into music video and commercials production, honing his skills in the industry. He eventually landed his directing break in TV drama with the cult teen show 'As If' for Channel 4.
Southcombe's subsequent work included directing 'Teachers' for Channel 4, launching MTV's first foray into fiction with the dope opera: 'Top Buzzer', and directing the pilot episode for 'Waterloo Road', an award-winning peak time drama for BBC1.
He wrote and directed his first feature film 'I, Anna', starring Charlotte Rampling, Gabriel Byrne, Hayley Atwell, and Eddie Marsan, which premiered at the Berlin Film Festival in 2012. The noir thriller, adapted from the novel of the same name by Elsa Lewin, received the audience award at Vancouver, was in Official competition in Shanghai Film Festival, and received a Best Actress Nomination for Charlotte Rampling at the Evening Standard British Film Awards.
As a founding partner of Embargo Films, Southcombe has produced several films under this banner, including 'I, Anna', 'The Sweeney', 'Pusher', 'Still Life', and 'Me and Me Dad'. He is also an Executive Producer on 'Miss You Already' and 'High Rise' through S Films.
