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RUBY PHELAN

Writer-Director

Ruby Phelan is an award winning Writer-Director.  She began her journey as a dancer at The Northern School of Contemporary Dance before embarking on her Two Year Diploma at The Fontainebleau School of Acting in France and finally receving a full scholarship on the MA in Text and Performance at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Among her many achievements as a young creative, her debut film 'The Mermaid & The Artist' has been recognised at film festivals throughout the world for its innovation and experimentation. It was nominated at Cannes short film festival, featured on 'The Girls on Film Podcast' and she was interviewed on 'BBC Radio 4'. Ruby also collaborates with a variety writers in both film and theatre. She worked as the Directors Assistant on series 5 of the Emmy award winning Netflix show 'The Crown', directed 'Honeypot' at The Other Palace Theatre, debuted  'Glassboy' at The Coronet Theatre and  premiered her two short films in New Yorks Manhattan. Most recently, Ruby's working on her feature debut with creative partner and producer Cheri Darbon of June & Stella Productions. Alongside her screenwriting, Ruby has also written a self illustrated book series named 'Tales From Torpen' which is currently undergoing its third volume. 

THIS GIRL LOST HER BODY

This tale of growing up comes in the form of a grizzly adult storybook. An uncomfortable dance with womanhood and exploration of feminine body politics takes place in the depths of the woods when a girl stumbles upon a creature who proceeds to steal and inhabit her body. Suver Nuver's distorted coming of age fable is created by director Ruby Phelan in collaboration with a whole host of exceptional collaborators in a variety of fields. This is Ruby's second live action short where she aims to boldly explore childhood fantasy in conjunction with the modern issues of female bodily control.

               THE MERMAID

                         &

                 THE ARTIST

This award winning short film directed, written, edited and produced by Ruby Phelan won 'Best Experimental film' at The Rome Independent Prisma Awards as well as being nominated for 'Best Young director' at Belfast film festival, 'Best Female Director' at Cannes Indie Short Film Festival and 'Best Short Film' at The Rameshwaram Film Festival in India. Whilst on her covid friendly bedroom press tour Ruby was also interviewed on the 'Girls on Film Podcast', 'Radio Reverb' and had a featured section in 'The Brightonian Magazine'. Ruby also conducted a live online premiere so she could share interviews with the cast & crew, behind the scenes footage and of course the film itself with a wide international audience from across the globe. The film questions the male gaze within art and the female body as an objectified muse. When a lonely artist falls in love with a mermaid and becomes obsessed with capturing her image we see him spiral into a world of dreams, fantasy and longing. All the while his 'muse' forms her own opinion of the situation and things become very nasty indeed. This stunningly bold debut combines Ruby's live action storytelling with her hand drawn illustrations and delves into the origins of folklore seaside tales but with a fresh subversion.

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             CONTACT

Please contact about any work enquiries. Ruby will respond very promptly to questions about creative collaborations, work opportunities and any other enquiries.

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