Biography
Jillian Li-Sue decided to become a filmmaker, dashing her parents` hopes of a doctor or lawyer in the family, aged 17. She directed and wrote her first short film/video, a schlock-horror called The Skeleton aged 18. After "A" levels in 1986, she worked for a year at London post-production facility house, Roger Cherrill, as a Runner and Trainee Assistant Film Editor.
From 1987 to 1990, she completed her B.A. (Hons.) in Film, Video & Photographic Arts at the (then) Polytechnic of Central London, now University of Westminster. Over the years, Jillian has worked in a gamut of roles for television from Location Manager to Producer, on both documentaries and dramas. She has specialist skills as a documentary Dubbing Editor. She has directed pop-promos, corporate films and been a mentor to novice filmmakers.
Her first 16mm film as Director & Writer, Ursulena's Box, made in 1992, is based on a true story about her great-aunt back in the Caribbean. This film went on to win an award at the Black Filmmakers' Hall of Fame in 1995, and was also purchased by the BBC as part of the Windrush series. In 1995 Carlton Television and the Arts Council of Great Britain funded another short called Songs for our Daughters, a documentary about Caribbean mothers passing on nursery rhymes to their British-born little girls. Her following film, another 16mm short, entitled Cedar Wood and Silk, once again concerned a mother and daughter's relationship. All of these films have been broadcast on UK terrestrial television and screened at various festivals in the UK and abroad.
From 2000 to 2001 Jillian took time out from television work to complete the inaugural year of the National Film & Television School`s Advanced Programme. Whilst on the course, Jillian made yet another short called Consumption. During this period Jillian met her husband and nine months after graduation their daughter was born.
Jillian works in close and regular collaboration with Producer, Joe Grossi, of London Joe Ltd. They have a long track record having completed nearly a dozen productions together, including Laters (please see filmmaker's comments below), which won Best Cinematography in the 6th International BFM Awards in London 2004. They currently have a slate of feature films in development. Jillian is a member of the Directors Guild of Great Britain and the New Producers Alliance.
Jillian's career highlights include directing the first interview of a major Western leader broadcast via the Internet, with Tony Blair & Sir David Frost, live from 10 Downing Street in 1998. Other noteworthy moments in her life include, representing her Catholic Girls' school on ITV's Blockbusters, and winning a Blue Peter Badge.
