About
David Parfitt
Master
David Parfitt is an independent film, TV and theatre producer who has had a legendary career in the entertainment industry spanning over 30 years. He is known for his passion for storytelling and ability to bring complex and nuanced characters to life on screen...
David Parfitt is an independent film, TV and theatre producer who has had a legendary career in the entertainment industry spanning over 30 years. He is known for his passion for storytelling and ability to bring complex and nuanced characters to life on screen...
Prior to producing, Parfitt enjoyed a career as an actor before co-founding the Renaissance Theatre Company with Kenneth Branagh. In 1988 Parfitt and Branagh joined with business partner Stephen Evans to form Renaissance Films. They went on to produce the Academy Award-winning ‘Henry V’ (1989) and the contemporary comedy ‘Peter’s Friends’ (1992). Continuing Renaissance’s interest in the classics, they also produced the successful film version of ‘Much Ado about Nothing’ (1993) and the Academy Award-nominated short ‘Swan Song’ (1991).
Parfitt briefly left Renaissance to co-produce ‘Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein’ (1994) before returning to the re-formed company to produce the hugely successful films ‘The Madness of King George’ (1994), nominated for four Academy Awards, the highly acclaimed ‘Twelfth Night’ (1996), directed by Trevor Nunn and ‘The Wings of the Dove’ (1997) starring Helena Bonham Carter which was also nominated for four Academy Awards. In 1998, Parfitt produced the multi-award-winning ‘Shakespeare in Love’, winner of seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and four BAFTA Awards, including Best Film. In 2010 he produced the BAFTA and Oscar-nominated ‘My Week with Marilyn’, followed in 2011 by Tom Stoppard’s award-winning adaptation of ‘Parade’s End’ for BBC and HBO. Parfitt was Executive Producer on the world’s first hand-painted animated feature film, the DFI-supported ‘Loving Vincent’, which was nominated for both BAFTA and Academy Awards in the Animation category.
Most recently, Parfitt produced ‘The Father’ (2020), which was written by Florian Zeller and fellow Qumra Master, Sir Christopher Hampton. The poignant film starring Anthony Hopkins and Olivia Colman was nominated for numerous awards, winning two Academy Awards and two BAFTAs. Parfitt has produced some of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful films of the last few decades. He has also held prestigious roles in the industry, such as Chairman of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) from 2008–2010 and Chair of Film London from 2010–2017. Throughout his career, he has been celebrated for his ability to find and nurture new talent and his determination to bring unique and compelling stories to the screen.
Prior to producing, Parfitt enjoyed a career as an actor before co-founding the Renaissance Theatre Company with Kenneth Branagh. In 1988 Parfitt and Branagh joined with business partner Stephen Evans to form Renaissance Films. They went on to produce the Academy Award-winning ‘Henry V’ (1989) and the contemporary comedy ‘Peter’s Friends’ (1992). Continuing Renaissance’s interest in the classics, they also produced the successful film version of ‘Much Ado about Nothing’ (1993) and the Academy Award-nominated short ‘Swan Song’ (1991).
Parfitt briefly left Renaissance to co-produce ‘Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein’ (1994) before returning to the re-formed company to produce the hugely successful films ‘The Madness of King George’ (1994), nominated for four Academy Awards, the highly acclaimed ‘Twelfth Night’ (1996), directed by Trevor Nunn and ‘The Wings of the Dove’ (1997) starring Helena Bonham Carter which was also nominated for four Academy Awards. In 1998, Parfitt produced the multi-award-winning ‘Shakespeare in Love’, winner of seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and four BAFTA Awards, including Best Film. In 2010 he produced the BAFTA and Oscar-nominated ‘My Week with Marilyn’, followed in 2011 by Tom Stoppard’s award-winning adaptation of ‘Parade’s End’ for BBC and HBO. Parfitt was Executive Producer on the world’s first hand-painted animated feature film, the DFI-supported ‘Loving Vincent’, which was nominated for both BAFTA and Academy Awards in the Animation category.
Most recently, Parfitt produced ‘The Father’ (2020), which was written by Florian Zeller and fellow Qumra Master, Sir Christopher Hampton. The poignant film starring Anthony Hopkins and Olivia Colman was nominated for numerous awards, winning two Academy Awards and two BAFTAs. Parfitt has produced some of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful films of the last few decades. He has also held prestigious roles in the industry, such as Chairman of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) from 2008–2010 and Chair of Film London from 2010–2017. Throughout his career, he has been celebrated for his ability to find and nurture new talent and his determination to bring unique and compelling stories to the screen.