Rory D. Bentley

Rory Dhariwal Bentley is an award-winning Writer / Director of mixed British-Punjabi heritage from Leicester / Edinburgh.

His first feature AMRIT is in active late-stage development with the BFI after being selected for a coveted place on the BBC Films / BFI / Creative UK iFeatures initiative - the UK’s premier development lab for debut feature films. His debut TV show ‘CUTH - Just A Little Bit Brown’ has been selected as one of 7 U.K projects through The Independent Film Trust’s Creative Corridor scheme 2022, backed by Sony Pictures.

Rory was one of the inaugural 25 FILM LONDON LODESTARS, celebrating emerging talent in the capital and is a BAFTA connect member. He was selected as a BAFTA scholar at NYU Tisch School of the Arts and was a recipient of the prestigious John Brabourne Award.

His award-winning 16mm independent short film SURPRI-!  premiered at BFI London Film Festival 2022 and won ‘Best Super Short’ at the British Short Film Awards. He co-wrote/shot/directed the award-winning 8mm short JAMELLA, starring Jamie Demetriou - which won first prize at the Straight 8 ‘one roll, no editing’ Industry Competition. He has made several other independent & diy short films on 8mm, 16mm (and digital) - which have screened at Academy / BAFTA qualifying film festivals around the world.

Alongside making his own films, he cut his teeth working in-house and freelance for award winning production companies on commercials and features. Notably, he was assistant to Paul King (PADDINGTON 2) on a feature film for Disney, through Film London’s Equal Access Network.

He has been mentored by Sally Potter (ORLANDO) as part of the Four Corners’ Zoom programme, and is currently being mentored by Camera D’Or winner Anthony Chen (ILO ILO) as part of iFeatures / Director’s UK Inspire Scheme.

He studied French & English Literature and, after a stint writing and marinading in Paris, is now based in the UK.