Neasa Hardiman

Academy Member

After starting off her career directing episodes of the long-running RTÉ drama Fair City, Neasa Hardiman quickly established herself in the UK directing popular BBC One shows including Casualty and Holby City, as well as lead-directing all three series of the BAFTA-winning Tracy Beaker Returns for BBC, which earned her a BAFTA Award in 2010. Neasa’s early work with RTE also includes producing and directing over twenty documentaries, a number of entertainment shows and the Eurovision Song Contest.

Since then, her work has screened in competition at the Berlinale, IFFRotterdam, Palm Springs and many other film festivals worldwide, as well as on television in Europe and the USA. Her award-winning art film forms are also part of the permanent collection at the Irish Museum of Modern Art.

Recent work of Hardiman’s includes helming the two-part season finale of BAFTA-nominated murder drama Scott & Bailey and successful BBC One drama serial In The Club. Her direction on acclaimed BBC / Netflix drama Happy Valley earned her an IFTA Award in 2016. She was also awarded a Best Feature Screenplay prize at the London Film Awards for her sci-fi thriller screenplay Sea Fever.

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Awards & Recognition

Happy Valley

BAFTA Winner, Best Drama Series (2017)
IFTA Winner, Best Director – Drama (2016)

Tracy Beaker Returns

BAFTA Children’s Award Nominee, Best Drama (2011 & 2012)
BAFTA Children’s Award Winner, Best Drama (2010)
Banff Rockie Award Nominee, Best Children's Program (2011)
Chicago International Film Festival Certificate of Merit, Best Direction, Dramatic Series (2012)
Chicago International Film Festival Certificate of Merit, Best Direction, Dramatic Series (2010)
RTS Television Award Winner, Best Children’s Drama (2012)
RTS Television Award Winner, Best Drama: North East (2012)
RTS Television Award Nominee, Best Children’s Drama (2010)

This Is Going to Take More Than One Night

WorldFest Houston Platinum Award Winner, Independent Short (2011)

An Gaeilgeoir Nocht

IFTA Nominee, Best Single Drama/Drama Serial (2009)

Imagining Ulysses

Celtic Film and Television Festival Winner, Best Arts Documentary (2004)
Chicago International Film Festival Winner, Best Documentary (2004)
IFTA Nominee, Best Documentary (2004)

Olive

Newport Beach Film Festival Winner, Short Film Award (2004)

Prime Time

IFTA Nominee, Best Current Affairs/News Programme (2004)

Treasure

Sweden Fantastic Film Festival Honorable Mention, Short Film (2003)

Key Credits

Jessica Jones (2018-2019)
Z: The Beginning of Everything (2017)
Happy Valley (2016)
Noble (2014) Sister Laura
Amber (2014) Sarah Bailey
Scott & Bailey (2014)
In the Club (2014)
Casualty (2013)
Holby City (2012-13)
Tracy Beaker Returns (2010-12)
This Is Going to Take More Than One Night (2010)
School Run (2008)
Beyond Redemption: A Profile of Peter McVerry (2007)
Home (2007)
An Gaeilgeoir Nocht (2006)
Totally Frank (2005)
Imagining Ulysses (2004)
Ireland's Teenage Criminals (2003)
In America (2003)
Olive (2003)
Treasure (2003)
Pluck (2002)
Fair City (1989)