Em Smith

Em Smith is a Bristol based director. A graduate of the NFTS Directing Fiction MA, where she was sponsored by Channel 4 and the David Lean Foundation. Her comedy drama RAPTURE was supported by the BFI Short Film Fund and stars Lydia Page, Jessica Hynes, and Siobhan Finneran. Following this Em was offered a place on the BFI Shorts2Features scheme. Recently she directed splinter unit scenes for Sky’s INHERITANCE, written by Karla Chrome. She was child acting coach on soon to be released BAD APPLES featuring Saoirse Ronan. Em was John Crowley’s assistant on critically-acclaimed LIFE AFTER LIFE (House/BBC) and shadow director to Sarmad Masud on BOARDERS (BBC) shot in Bristol. Featured as one of Channel 4’s Spotlight on Directors in 2018, Em’s shorts have screened at BAFTA and Oscar-qualifying festivals worldwide. Em tutors for the Amazon Prime Director’s Workshop and led the BFI South West Directors Workshop in 2025 in collaboration with Bournemouth Film School. Em is a Clore Emerging Leader in the Arts. She has been mentored by Philippa Lowethorpe and Makalla McPherson. As a collaborator she’s much like a good jumper - warm, bright and reliable.