Helen Lyons-Curran

Director and Filmmaker at PickaXe Films
Filmmaker, Director and Screenwriter

Manchester, United Kingdom

Member Since:
August 2013

Last online:
> 2 weeks ago

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About Helen

Helen Lyons-Curran is an award-winning writer, director, and filmmaker. Her passion for cinema blossomed early on, fostering a diverse taste in genres that greatly influences her work as a filmmaker. Emphasising the importance of a robust narrative and well-developed characters, Helen firmly believes in the power of a compelling script as the foundation of any project.

Having specialised in single-camera drama at The Manchester Film School, she graduated with a First Class BA Honours Degree in Film Production along with a PGCE qualification for teaching Film.

Starting out working in production, then later as a freelance editor, afforded Helen a wealth of experience from pre to post-production which has been channelled into her craft. Deciding to mainly focus on self-led projects, Helen formed PickaXe Films, an independent production company which has recently partnered with another venture to produce two upcoming projects.

Helen's work has achieved multiple awards and nominations including a Royal Television Society award for her WWII short, Delicacy. Her gritty drama, Choke, has recently been acquired by M62 Films as part of their Northern Film Collective. Brit-Grit Horror-Noir, Ends Meat, is available on Amazon Prime. The Ends Meat feature film is currently in development with production planned for late 2026.

She has recently completed the feature screenplay for Blood, Wrath, and Mercy - a revisionist western and is developing the screenplay for a coming-of-age crime drama, Summer of '76. Filming in 2025 is the suspenseful female-led road-thriller, Last Strike.

Helen has a penchant for weaving intimate and personal stories against grand backdrops, with a particular focus for the future on female-led narratives and LGBTQ characters. Helen is passionate about her craft and enthusiastic about collaborating with those who share her creative vision.

Gender:
Female

Ethnicity:
Caucasian

Badges

Certifications

Photos

Videos

ENDS MEAT (2018) - Official Trailer [HD]

Helen Lyons-Curran 2015 Filmmaker SHOWREEL

Helen Lyons-Curran 2015 Editing SHOWREEL

Credits

Last Strike (2024)
Film (short) by PickaXe Films (Thriller) Writer and Director On New Years Eve a woman and her vehicle are hijacked by two criminals. As the all important strike of midnight looms, escaping them will require swift and drastic action.
Choke (2019)
Film (short) by PickaXe Films Writer, director, editor, producer Forced by an over-bearing brother figure young Lewis awaits his enemy. What unfolds will determine the kind of man he is to become.
Ends Meat (2016 - 2018)
Film by PickaXe Films Ltd. (Horror, Mystery and Short) Director Our protagonist Pete found himself unable to say no when a chance encounter resulted in a proposition that would solve all of his financial woes. It would ultimately prove to be the greatest in a long line of mistakes however, as his moral code is shattered beyond repair. A good man driven to do very bad things, Pete clings to the hope that the end is now in sight, but his actions are about to come to one horrific climax.
Dad (2015)
Film (short) Writer, director, producer, editor A super short pogniant drama about a father and daughter
Delicacy (2014)
Film (short) by Huntsman Films (Horror and War) Writer / Director Two soldiers trapped in a church cellar must try to survive without resources. Winner of five awards, including The Royal Television Society North West, and Best Cinematography at The US Hollywood international film festival. Nominated for nine further awards, being recognised for direction, performance and art and design.

Awards

Delicacy - Best Drama: The Royal Television Society NW Student Award (writer/director)
(2015)
Award of Excellence - San Francisco Short Film Festival
(2015)
Dad - Highly Commended super short: Screen Stockport Film Festival
(2015)
Delicacy - Best Undergraduate Short: Screen Stockport (as writer/director)
(2014)
Delicacy - The Delta Short Film Award: The Festival of Fantastic Films (as writer / director)
(2014)
The Dog Whisperer - Best North West Short Film: Screen Stockport (as editor)
(2014)
It's a Metaphor - Best undergraduate short film: Screen Stockport (as producer)
(2013)