Writer/Director.
Louisa Connolly-Burnham is an award-winning writer-director-actress from Birmingham and founder of Thimble Films. A bold new voice in British cinema, Louisa is known for her emotionally charged, darkly sensual, female-led storytelling and her compelling presence both behind and in front of the camera.
In 2024, she wrote, directed, produced, and starred in the breakout short film Sister Wives, alongside BAFTA-winner Mia McKenna-Bruce (MUBI's How To Have Sex). The film was long-listed for the 2025 Oscars and BAFTAs, as well as the 2024 BIFAs, and was later acquired by Film4 and Channel 4. The film was featured in Letterboxd’s 2024 Year in Review, ranking as the #3 Highest Rated Live Action Short Film globally.
Sister Wives went on to win over 50 awards at more than 100 international festivals, including ‘Best Director’ at The British Short Film Awards, HollyShorts, Sunrise Film Festival, The Shark Awards, One Fluid Night, and Brighton Rocks. It also took home Best British Short, Best Actress, and the Audience Award at The Iris Prize, sponsored by Pinewood Studios.
In recognition of her creative achievements, Louisa was awarded a BFI scholarship in 2024 to the Female Film Club, and served as a juror for the 2024 BAFTA x Rocliffe New Writing Competition.
Louisa is a passionate advocate for underrepresented voices in film. She is the founder of Kulty, a safe and inclusive space for women, non-binary, and gender-queer filmmakers, and is an active member of Directors UK, Women in Film & TV (WFTV), and Cinesisters.
Her work has been featured in Variety, BBC News, Glamour, Collider, Deadline, Film Stories, British Cinematographer, Attitude, Diva, Pink News, Yahoo, Awards Daily, and more.
Work.
THE CALL CENTRE (2020)Aesthetica Film Festival (BAFTA-qualifying)
Underwire Film Festival (BAFTA-qualifying & Best Producer Nom)
Foyle Film Festival (Oscar-qualifying & Best International Film Nom)
London Lift-Off Film Festival
Sunday Shorts Film Festival (Best Film & Audience Award Winn)
ÉCU The European Independent Film Festival (Audience Award)
Womxnchester International Film Festival (Best Film Nom)
Scene It Awards (Best Scene Award)
SISTER WIVES (2024)Longlisted for The Oscar, BAFTA and BIFA
The British Short Film Awards (Best Director Win)
HollyShorts LA Film Festival (Oscar-qualifying + Best LGBTQIA+ Film Win)
HollyShorts London Film Festival (Oscar-qualifying + Best Director Win)
Iris Prize (BAFTA-qualifying + Best British Film Win + Best Actress Win + Audience Award Win)
Deadcenter Film Festival (Oscar-qualifying)
Out On Film Film Festival (Oscar-qualifying + Best Drama Short Nom)
Cambridge Film Festival (BAFTA-qualifying)
Unrestricted View Film Festival (BIFA-qualifying + Best Actress Nom + Best Costume Win)
London Breeze Film Festival (BIFA-qualifying + Best UK Short Fiction Win)
Brighton Rocks Film Festival (BIFA-qualifying + Best Director Win + Best Drama Nom)
Sunrise Film Festival (BIFA-qualifying + Best British Film Win + Best Director Win + Best Cinematography Win + Best Sound Design Win)
Bolton Film Festival (BAFTA + BIFA-qualifying)
Spirit of Independence Film Festival (BIFA-qualifying)
Cardiff Mini Film Festival (BIFA-qualifying)
North East International Film Festival (BIFA-qualifying + Best LGBTQ Film Win)
Crystal Palace International Film Festival (BIFA-qualifying)
Beeston Film Festival (BIFA-qualifying)
Oxford Shorts (Festival Choice Win, Best Film Nom, Best Director Nom, Best Prod Design Nom)
Discover Film Festival (Best Drama Win)
This Is England Film Festival (Students Choice Award Winer)
Sunday Shorts Script Competition (Short Screenplay Win + Audience Award Win + Best Production Win)
Imagine This Women's Film Festival (Best International Film Win)
Cindependent Film Festival (Best International Film Win)
World Film Festival (Best Narrative Short Win)
Birmingham Film Festival (Best Film Nom, Best Costume Nom, Best Prod Design Nom, Audience Award Nom)
Stamped Film Festival (Audience Award Win)
One Fluid Night LGBTQIA+ Film Festival (Best Director Win + Best Heartbeat Win)
Fugitive Sister Festival Cannes (Short To Feature Award)
OutReels Cincinnati (Audience Award Win)
Yellowstone International Film Festival (Best LGBTQIA+ Director Win)
Women Without Borders Film Festival (Audience Award + Best Cinematography Win)
Bradford Queer Film Festival
The East London LGBTQ+ Film Festival
Hollywood Shortsfest
Big Fridge International Film Festival
Achill Island Film Festival
Queer Expression Film Festival
Full Bloom Film Festival
FilmPride Brighton & Hove Pride LGBTQIA+ Film Festival
The Her Vision International Film Festival
San Francisco Queer Film Festival
Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival
Florence Queer Film Festival
Immaginaria International Film Festival
British Shorts Berlin Festival
Mardis Gras Film Festival
THE TRACK (2023)Carmarthen Bay Film Festival (BAFTA-qualifying)
Manchester Film Festival (BIFA-qualifying)
Durban International Film Festival (Oscar-qualifying)
British Urban Film Festival (BAFTA-qualifying)
London Independent Film Festival
Manchester Lift-Off Film Festival
London Lift-Off Film Festival World Indie Film Awards 2022 (Best Director & Best Actor)
THE CEILING (2024)Exit 6 Film Festival (BIFA-qualifying)
Berlin Lift-Off Film Festival
World Indie Awards (Best Acting Ensemble Award)
San Diego Short Film Festival
Cannes Indie Shorts Awards
FLEETING (2024)Brighton Rocks Film Festival (BIFA-qualifying + Best Director)
Catalyst Film Festival (IFTA-qualifying)
Waterford Film Festival (IFTA-qualifying)
Disappear Here Film Festival (IFTA-qualifying +Best Actor)
15th Underground Cinema Awards (IFTA-qualifying)
Kino Film Festival (Semi-Finalist + BIFA-qualifying)
North East International Film Festival (BIFA-qualifying)
Irish Film Festival London (BAFTA-qualifying)
Oxford Shorts Film Festival
Fastnet Film Festival
Achill Island Film Festival
Pot of Films Festival
