Paul Daly is an artist and filmmaker whose work explores identity, belonging, memory and mortality through analogue moving image.
Working predominantly on 16mm film, he has spent the past decade documenting contemporary England during a period of significant social and political transformation. His observational films focus on everyday lives, communities and rituals, creating portraits that reflect the complexity and diversity of modern Britain.
In 2022, his film Mirrors, supported by BFI Doc Society, premiered in the International Short Competition at Sheffield DocFest and was longlisted for Best British Short Film at the BIFAs.
He is currently completing Shadows, a film examining class, power and identity in England.
What began as a document of trades, traditions, cultures and home environments in contemporary England evolved into an all-consuming project. Mirrors is a witness to unprecedented events as they unfolded on this singular isle over seven extraordinary years.
From volatile public demonstrations to intimate domestic scenes, the film reveals the experience and emotions of living in England, explored through the lives of total strangers, family, and friends. Shot on 16mm film, Mirrors is both lucid diary and poetic map - a meditation on human resilience, a journey across an island.
Sheffield DocFest 2022 - International Short Competition Longlisted BIFA Short Film Award 2022 Coventry Cathedral (Special screening) Flatpack Film Festival 2023 Big Picture Festival 2023
Aesthetica Film Festival 2023 Kolkata Experimental Film Festival 2024
Full of Noises 2025
Stroud Film Festival 2025
Director & Cinematographer - Paul Daly Producer - Jacqui Davies Executive Producer - Lisa Marie Russo Editor & Additional Sound Design - Adam Biskupski Composer, Sound Designer & Mixer - Stefan Smith Vocal Composition & Performance - Zeina Nasr Type Design - Jack Kimberley Colourist - Gareth Bishop Additional Cinematography - Nathan Starr Assistant Editor - Inigo Manby
Picture Post Production - Dirty Looks Film Development & Telecine - Cinelab London Additional Film Development - Digital Orchard Film Stock - Kodak
Funded by BFI Doc Society, The Chalk Cliff Trust, Oppenheim-John Downes Memorial Trust, The Eaton Fund and Video Jam.