Francesca is an Italian-British-Jamaican writer and director from Milan living in London. Their films centre characters who live in between spaces, inspired by their experience of living at the intersection of multiple identities. Through lyrical imagery, they strive to create a sense of beauty and wonder in their work, believing in cinema as a healing tool that can remind us of our humanity and capacity for empathy.
Their short UNDONE, about an encounter between a young woman and an older married woman, screened at Aesthetica, Inside Out, NewFest and Pan-African Film Festival amongst others, and was picked up for distribution by Peccadillo Pictures. Previous work includes THE FLOOD, an allegorical short about the climate and migrant crisis commissioned by the Central School of Speech & Drama, and LYNCH, a short about social phobia commissioned by ad agency DLV BBDO.
Francesca was mentored by director Gina Prince-Bythewood, with whom they worked extensively on Netflix’s film THE OLD GUARD, starring Charlize Theron. They worked with producer Andrea Cornwell and writer Anna Symon on Apple TV+ series THE ESSEX SERPENT, directed by Clio Barnard. They were also a visiting writer on Season 3 of HBO show, SUCCESSION, as part of the HBO UK Directors Program.
Francesca trained in performing arts at Goldsmiths. They started their career working in production and the wider industry with companies including Universal Pictures, New Regency and See-Saw Films.
Affiliations & Awards
BAFTA Connect Member (2023-2025)
Women In Film Pathmaker Awardee (2021)
Encounters FF Widening The Lens: Shorts to Feature Scheme (2017-2018)
Contact
francesca.castelbuono@gmail.com
Strange Machine
www.strangemachine.uk