Italy / UK

Director, producer, photographer and writer, Cosima Spender was born in Italy in an artists’ family, and moved to England at fourteen. A university degree in Anthropology and Art History at the School of Oriental and African Studies cultivated her interest in local identity and ethnic traditions, whether in Africa, Asia or Europe. Still photography and traveling sparked off a passion that led to the post-graduate documentary directing course at the National Film and Television School in England. Since leaving film school she has travelled around the world as a director, often filming her own projects. She has directed films including The Importance of Being Elegant (2004) with George Amponsah, Dolce Vita Africana (2008), Without Gorky (2011 director and writer) and Palio (2015 writer and director). Palio won the best documentary editing award at the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival. She is based in London.

Filmography

Marble Mountain (2000)
Life and Death on Exmoor (2001)
Orchestra Baobab, Specialist in All Styles (2002)
Ibrahim Ferrer, Buenos Hermanos (2003)
Omara Portuondo, Flor de Amor (2004)
The Importance of Being Elegant (2004)
Boulevard de l’indépendance (2006)
Dolce Vita Africana (2007)
Without Gorky (2011)
Palio (2015)
The Drink (2019)