Do a bit of reading about BRIGID OLËN
Brigid Olėn has more than 20 years experience in film production. She began her career at Pendulum Films, where she wrote, directed and production managed a variety of television productions. Between 1985 and 1989, Brigid worked for several leading South African production companies and production managed feature films including IFA LAKWAMATHETWA, DIE LAASTE LAG, POPS OASIS, BRUTAL GLORY, IPI TOMBI, THE FOURTH REICH and THE WEDDING.
In 1990, she joined Paul Raleigh, Katinka Heyns and Edgar Bold and line produced two M-Net/Toron features, NAG VAN DIE NEGENTIENDE and DIE STORIE VAN KLARA VILJEE.
In 1993, Brigid moved to Nu World, and production managed FREE FALL and then line produced CYBORG COP II, PROJECT SHADOWCHASER II and LUNAR COP. She was soon appointed to manage Nu World Studios, and supervised all their international productions shot in SA. She is credited as associate producer on HUMAN TIMEBOMB, CYBORG COP III, DANGER ZONE and WARHEAD.
Having attained significant production experience, in 1995 Brigid and Marlow de Mardt formalised DO Productions. They began by producing commercials but soon returned to their passion, feature films, initially as facilitators. Brigid line produced AFTER THE RAIN in 1998 and went on to produce SHARK ATTACK II for international distributor Nu Image in 1999.
Brigid broke new ground with DO Productions' first international co-production on the feature DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND. This was followed by the feature WHAT BOYS LIKE in 2001 and the docudrama A SPECIES ODYSSEY, with broadcaster France 3, in 2002. With an audience of 9 million, it exceeded the World Cup '98 ratings and received a phone call of praise from the French Prime Minister, Jacques Chirac. SUMURU, the second co-production feature was produced in 2002. In August 2003, Brigid was Supervising Producer on the feature film LE LION, starring Alain Delon and Francesca Muti shot on location at Lindberg Lodge.
In 2004, Brigid was the South African producer on TARA ROAD starring Andie MacDowell. In 2005 Brigid teamed up with Spier Films (who produced the award-winning film U-CARMEN eKHAYELITSHA), to produce SON OF MAN, which was followed by FOLLOW YOUR HEART, a German television production for Ziegler Film and BEATING DEATH, a UK factual television drama for Wall to Wall Media in 2006.
In 2007 Brigid co-produced the movie adaptation J.M Coetzee’s Booker Prize novel, DISGRACE starring John Malkovich, and THE WORLD UNSEEN starring Lisa Ray, Sheetal Sheth and Parvin Dabas.
LOST CITY RAIDERS was produced for Tandem Communications in 2008. In 2009 Brigid produced the multi award winning South African/ German co-production feature THEMBA – A BOY CALLED HOPE and TIRZA for Fu Works and Cadenza Films. TIRZA was directed by Rudolf Van den Berg and based on the Dutch bestseller of the same name by Arnon Grunberg. The film was selected as the Dutch entry for the best foreign language film.
Last year Brigid was the South African producer on DIE LÖWIN (THE LION GIRL), a television feature with Moovie – the Art of Entertainment for broadcaster ZDF.
This year Brigid was the South African producer on the feature WHERE THE ROAD RUNS OUT produced by Firenze Films.
Currently Brigid is working on an interesting slate of thrillers and crime stories.