Antonia Bird, Director of ‘Priest’ and ‘Ravenous,’ Dies at 62Variety
October 25, 2013 | 06:04PM PTMaane Khatchatourian
Antonia Bird, who directed the 1999 cannibalism horror pic “Ravenous,” died Thursday in London after an illness. She was 62.
The British helmer is known for directing films including “Priest,” “Mad Love,” and “Face.” Her close friend and frequent collaborator Robert Carlyle starred in several of her movies. Her films are renowned for their socially-conscious themes. Bird’s first feature, 1994′s “Priest,” was heavily criticized by the Catholic Church. She won a BAFTA for the “Safe” episode of the series “Screenplay” and another for “Care.”
Bird, Carlyle, Mark Cousins and Irvine Welsh created the production company 4-Way Film. Welsh and British thesp Matt Stokoe took to Twitter today to express their condolences.
She began her career at the Royal Court Theatre before venturing to the small screen in the mid-1980s with “EastEnders.” She later directed TV shows such as “Cracker,” “MI-5″ and “Casualty.”
BIRD, Antonia