John Hay's journey in the film industry began with a BA (Hons) in Film at the University of Reading, where he graduated with distinction for his final film. After completing his studies, he pursued a career in directing for British television, working on a range of projects that showcased his talent.
One of his notable works is the television drama "Autogeddon," which won five international awards, including the Jury Prize at the Shanghai Film Festival. The show was praised by critics, with The Independent describing it as "as close to genius as television gets."
Hay's success in "Autogeddon" led to collaborations with renowned actors and directors. He worked with Al Pacino on two projects, including "Every Time I Cross the Tamar I Get into Trouble," a short film that premiered on Channel 4 and was later released theatrically in the US.
Hay also worked with Pacino on "Looking for Richard," a feature film that starred Kevin Spacey, Alec Baldwin, and Pacino himself. Meanwhile, he was already working on "The Steal," a TV movie for HBO that starred Alfred Molina, Helen Slater, and Stephen Fry.
In addition to his work in television, Hay has also directed several critically acclaimed feature films. His debut feature, "There's Only One Jimmy Grimble," won the Bear for Best Family Feature at the Berlin Film Festival and went on to win ten international awards.
Hay's subsequent feature films include "The Truth About Love," which was sold to forty territories worldwide and became a surprise number one at the box office in South Korea. He is currently attached to direct "The Walnut Tree" for Impact and is developing an adaptation of Whitbread award winner "Journey Through Midnight."
In addition to his work in film and television, Hay is also producing a short animation, "Moon & the Dolphin," which he co-wrote with the Oscar-winning Russian animator Alexander Petrov.
