My name is JAMES SPINNEY. I’m a musician and filmmaker based in South London.
As a composer, my soundtracks include the BAFTA nominated feature film NOTES ON BLINDNESS, the Grierson award winning short LANDLINE and the Netflix Original feature APOLLO THIRTEEN: SURVIVAL.
As a writer-director, my work includes NOTES OF BLINDNESS and the Emmy nominated feature THE REAL CHARLIE CHAPLIN.
This year I've produced the BBC Radio 3 documentary IONA OPIE AND THE PEOPLE IN THE PLAYGROUND and composed scores for MUREWA and NO MAN IS AN ISLAND.
I’m one third of FEE FIE FOE. Represented by MANNERS FABER.
My email is james [at] feefiefoe.co.uk
APOLLO THIRTEEN: SURVIVAL
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Directed by Peter Middleton
Original score by James Spinney
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A documentary feature following NASA's imperilled 1970 lunar voyage, which became one of history's great survival stories.​
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"Some stories are worth retelling, particularly when they are as well told as this... a white-knuckle viewing experience"
Screen Daily, Wendy Ide
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A NETFLIX ORIGINAL DOCUMENTARY
Premiered at CPH:DOX 2024
Available on Netflix
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2024 | 96mins
NOTES ON BLINDNESS
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Written and directed by Peter Middleton and James Spinney
Original music by James Ewers and James Spinney
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A feature documentary charting the theologian John Hull's discovery of a world beyond sight.
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"Genius... a beautiful, accessible and thoughtful work of art."
✩✩✩✩✩
The Guardian, Charlie Phillips
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"A visionary, lyrical film"
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The Times, Kate Muir
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"Articulate, eloquent and soul-searching"
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Observer, Film of the Week, Mark Kermode
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"Magnificent... extraordinary eloquence, precision and poetic sensitivity"
New York Times, Critics’ Pick, Stephen Holden
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Premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival
Released by Curzon Artificial Eye in UK cinemas
Winner of a BIFA for Best Documentary (nominated in six categories)
Nominated for three BAFTAs (Best Documentary, Best Debut and Outstanding British Film)
Winner of a Peabody award (for the accompanying VR experience "Into Darkness")
Winner of an Emmy award (for the short film version, published by NYT Op-Docs)
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Distributed in the UK by CURZON ARTIFICIAL EYE
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2016 | 86 mins
LANDLINE
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Directed by Matt Houghton
Original music by James Spinney
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A short documentary about an LGBTQ+ helpline for people isolated in rural areas of the UK.
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Winner of the Grierson Award for Best Documentary Short
Winner of the HBO Short Documentary Award
Nominated for Best Documentary at LSFF, Open City Docs and Berlin British Shorts
A Vimeo Best Of The Year 2019
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2019 | 12 mins
THE REAL CHARLIE CHAPLIN
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Written and directed by Peter Middleton and James Spinney
Co-written by Oliver Kindeberg
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A contemporary take on cinema’s most iconic figure.
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"This film piercingly asks the right questions about Chaplin’s elusive reality."
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"This inventive documentary… provides a gripping, clear-eyed overview of Chaplin’s life and work."
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The Observer - Film of the Week, Mark Kermode.
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"Fascinating… exhaustively researched and intellectually stimulating."
✩✩✩✩
The Times, Kevin Maher
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"An honest and superbly made documentary."
✩✩✩✩✩
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Premiered at the Telluride International Film Festival
Released by Altitude in UK cinemas and Universal Pictures worldwide
Nominated for three Critics' Choice Documentary Awards
Nominated for two Emmy Awards
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Made with the support of BRITISH FILM INSTITUTE, FILM4 and SHOWTIME
Sales and distribution by ALTITUDE FILM
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2021 | 114 mins
