EMU Films
2 known investors
Emu Films is a film production company whose credits include feature films and anthologies such as "American Star" (directed by Gonzalo López-Gallego), "Benediction" (writer/director Terence Davies), and "Small Axe" (an anthology by Steve McQueen).
Also known as Emu Films · EMU Films Ltd
Investors · 2
Also in the syndicate · 1
Company profile
researched Aug 2026EMU Films is an independent film and television production company based in Manchester and London. Founded in 2012 by partners Mike Elliott, Jim Mooney and Walli Ullah, it shot its first feature, Catch Me Daddy, in 2013; the film premiered in Cannes Directors' Fortnight. Its subsequent credits span features and television, including Terence Davies' Benediction, Sacha Polak's Dirty God and Silver Haze, boxing drama Jawbone directed by Thomas Napper, Guy Myhill's The Goob, Thomas Hardiman's Medusa Deluxe, Julian Jarrold's Sulphur and White, Mitch Jenkins' The Show (written by Alan Moore), and Gonzalo Lopez-Gallego's American Star. On television the company's credits include the Steve McQueen anthology Small Axe (Mangrove, Lovers Rock, Red, White and Blue, Alex Wheatle and Education), on which EMU served as associate producers, plus Das Boot and the DOC NOW! series.
The company has historically focused on debut and early-career filmmakers working with low budgets, and describes its ethos as "bold, authored filmmaking." It also operates a commercials arm, Emu Associates. Alongside the founding partners, key personnel include Laia Senserrich as head of development and Deborah Aston as head of production, with additional producing, production assistant and design staff. The company states it does not accept unsolicited script submissions.
Founding story
EMU Films was founded in 2012 by Mike Elliott, Jim Mooney and Walli Ullah, who remain the company's founding partners. Its first feature shoot came in 2013 with Catch Me Daddy, directed by Daniel and Matthew Wolfe, which premiered in the Directors' Fortnight section at Cannes.
Business model
EMU Films develops and produces feature films and television programming, typically financing projects through co-production partnerships, public and regional funding bodies, broadcasters and equity or debt investment at the company level. A commercials arm, Emu Associates, operates alongside the film and TV slate.
Revenue derives from producing feature films and television series, with financing assembled from co-production partners, funds such as Creative England's West Midlands Production Fund, broadcasters including the BBC, and streaming platforms.
Traction
The company's output includes more than a dozen features and several television titles. Benediction premiered at TIFF in September 2021; American Star was released as a 2024 dramatic thriller. Ongoing projects include Gonzalo Lopez-Gallego's car-chase thriller The Pursuer, set to shoot in the Canary Islands; Thomas Napper's The Man Who Stole Portugal, backed by financing outfit Moviedrome; a screen version of Tyrell Williams' play Red Pitch; Maria Pawlikowska's musical A Little Death; UK-Ireland co-production Haul with Tailored Films and Viking Films; an untitled Terence Davies documentary directed by David Thompson for BBC Film; Davies' Noel Coward project Firefly; and a TV series by Steve McQueen.
Latest developments
As of Screen International's November 2025 profile, Ian McShane had become an investor in EMU Films after partnering on American Star, and the company was shifting toward larger-budget features and high-end television. The Man Who Stole Portugal is out to cast with a planned Lisbon and UK shoot, The Pursuer is set for the Canary Islands, and development continues on Red Pitch, A Little Death, Haul, Firefly, a Terence Davies documentary for BBC Film and a Steve McQueen TV series.
▸Full profile — market position, go-to-market, geography, history, risks & controversies
Market position
EMU Films is positioned as an independent UK production company with an established festival and awards track record, including a British Independent Film Award for Best Production for The Goob, seven BIFA nominations and a BAFTA nomination for Jawbone, and association with the BAFTA- and Golden Globe-winning Small Axe. It was included in Screen International's Brit 50 feature in November 2025 and in the Creative England 50 top ten in 2014.
The company has built its slate around debut and early-career directors making low-budget, festival-oriented features, and describes its ethos as bold, authored filmmaking. Management has said it is now making fewer first-time-director films and moving toward higher-budget features and high-end television with broader international appeal while retaining an authored sensibility.
Go-to-market
Projects are launched through international film festivals — Catch Me Daddy premiered at Cannes Directors' Fortnight and Benediction at the Toronto International Film Festival — and delivered via broadcasters and streamers such as the BBC and Amazon Prime. The company increasingly relies on co-production partnerships to assemble financing.
Broadcasters, streaming platforms, distributors and co-production and financing partners, together with the directors and writers whose projects the company develops.
Geography
Offices in Manchester and London, with a London address listed at 77 Fortess Road, NW5 1AG. Productions have shot or are planned in the UK, the Canary Islands (American Star, The Pursuer), Portugal (The Man Who Stole Portugal) and Ireland (Haul), with co-production partners in Spain, Ireland and the Netherlands.
History
Following its 2012 founding and 2013 first feature shoot, EMU Films began working with Creative England in 2014, receiving a £150,000 loan to develop and increase capacity; the same year the company was named in the top ten of the Creative England 50. Productions with Creative England support included The Goob, which won a British Independent Film Award for Best Production, and Jawbone, nominated for seven BIFAs and a BAFTA, followed by the BBC/Amazon Prime anthology Small Axe and Terence Davies' Benediction, which world-premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on 12 September 2021. In September 2021, Creative Growth Finance invested £500,000 in the company to fund hiring a senior development executive and expand its development slate. Actor Ian McShane became an investor after co-producing the 2024 thriller American Star with the company.
Risks & controversies
Company leadership has noted that independent film financing has become tougher, that margins on debut features are small, and that co-production is increasingly necessary to close financing plans. Terence Davies, the director of Benediction and the attached director of the Firefly project, died with that project still in development.
Compiled by commissioned research from 8 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Timeline · 6
launches, deals, and filingsEMU Films was profiled as part of Screen International's Brit 50 list of UK companies.
Actor Ian McShane became an investor in the company after partnering with it on the 2024 thriller American Star; the company said his talent relationships have brought new projects.
Dramatic thriller American Star, directed by Gonzalo Lopez-Gallego and written by Nacho Faerna, produced by Michael Elliott and Ian McShane, a Tamariska Inc & EMU Films production in association with Aquí y Allí Films and Cayuga Ficción.
Terence Davies' feature Benediction, about poet and soldier Siegfried Sassoon, received its world premiere at TIFF on 12 September 2021.
EMU Films was named in the top ten of the Creative England 50, recognising businesses and individuals across games, TV, film and digital media.
EMU Films' relationship with Creative England began in 2014 with a £150k loan intended to help the company continue developing projects, increase capacity and grow.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
In the news
▸Research sources · 8
primary sources listed
- EMU Filmsemufilms.com · web
8 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does EMU Films do?
- UK independent film and TV production company behind Small Axe, Benediction, Jawbone and American Star.
- Who are EMU Films's investors?
- EMU Films's investors include Creative UK.