Alan Parker

Sir Alan William Parker CBE (14 February 1944 – 31 July 2020) was an English film director, screenwriter and producer who was active from 1971 to 2003. His career began in his late teens as a copywriter and director of television advertisements, transitioning after about ten years of directing adverts to screenwriting and directing films. Parker became renowned for his use of a broad spectrum of filmmaking styles, working in various genres like musicals, dramas and thrillers. He earned numerous awards, including nineteen BAFTA awards, ten Golden Globes, and six Academy Awards. His film, Birdy, was one of the Top Ten Films chosen by the National Board of Review in 1984 and won the Grand Prix Spécial du Jury prize at the 1985 Cannes Film Festival. Parker was knighted in 2002 for his contributions to the British film industry, and he was also a founding member of the Directors Guild of Great Britain. In his personal life, Parker was married twice and fathered five children, including screenwriter Nathan Parker.