BABYLON Europe 2013

Babylon 2013

Elsa O’Toole: Biography

Elsa O’Toole (BAFTA) trained at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School & Elizabeth Kennedy Royal Ballet Junior School. Her career spans acting, film journalism, script advising, BBC producing & filmmaking. Acting includes Royal National Theatre, Glasgow Citizen’s Theatre, London’s West End & collaboration with Ridley Scott, Gene Hackman, Sir David Hare & Bill Nighy, plus 40+ TV & comedy series, films & ads in Hollywood, Mauritius, Paris, Bahrain, Muscat, Berlin, Dubai & Hong Kong.

She freelanced as UKFC script / DVD assessor for 8 years, was hired as 20th Century Fox Searchlight syndicated writer, moderated Cannes / London conferences & was the last journalist (1999) to interview Sir Dirk Bogarde for her exclusive tribute to The Servant, available for view in BFI’s Reuben Library.

Outlets edited / contributed to include VirginMedia Films, BBC Radio, The Voice, Tartan Films & Pride mag. Film journalist profiles include Johnny Depp, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Meryl Streep, Spike Lee, Brad Pitt, Leo DiCaprio, Jamie Foxx, Clint Eastwood, George Clooney, Kate Winslet, Robert Pattinson, Jim Carrey, Matt Damon, Billy Bob Thornton and the late Heath Ledger.

Elsa is the only Black writer voted into UK’s Film Critics’ Circle celebrating 100th anniversary 2013. She’s proud to have covered BFI’s London Lesbian Gay Film Festival for 12 years in mainstream press. 2002 she was invited to produce BBC TV’s EMMAs & directed inserts with Sam L. Jackson. She engaged Halle Berry, Denzel Washington, Danny Glover & Maya Angelou to accept Lifetime Achievement Award at the live TX ceremony, Grosvenor House Hotel, London.

Elsa’s BAME, CDN-pledged prod co We Can Films’ most recent script Blasted was shortlisted by Film London, Screen West Midlands, B3 Media & is on British Council’s Film Directory. Officially Selected by UMFF it’s enjoying international fest success. 2012 she helped develop Serbian thriller Foreigner, (Mel Raido, Dusan Tolmac, Verica Nedeska), produced Clowning Around & was AD on Underrated. Random fact: she has a silver in fencing (foil).

Currently developing black comedy feature BAD SEX, Elsa looks forward to making strides with Scenario Film’s Babylon 2013-14 Programme.

W: www.elsaotoole.com
E: elsaotoole@hotmail.com
T: @MsEOToole

BABYLON 2017-18 PARTNER LOGOS