BY ACTOR: P

Born in 1957 in Warsaw, Pawlikowski left Poland when he was 14 and lived in London, Germany and Italy. He finally settled in Britain. After studying literature and philosophy, he began his career making award-winning, offbeat documentaries which poetically mixed fact and fiction. He was a Creative Arts Fellow at Oxford Brookes University, and is fluent in six languages: Polish, French, English, German, Italian and Russian.

California-born Sean Penn began his acting career in TV, appearing in an episode of ‘Little House on the Prairie,’ directed by his father. After starring in a few minor roles in 80s films such as ‘Fast Times at Ridgemont High’ (1982), Penn's breathrough came with his Oscar-nominated performance for ‘Dead Man Walking’ in 1995. He later won two Best Actor Oscars for his roles in ‘Mystic River’ (2003) and ‘Milk’ (2008). Also a director, Penn’s ‘Into The Wild’ (2007) received widespread critical acclaim.

Sally Potter, was born in 1949 in London. She is the daughter of two artistic parents who influenced her decision to become a filmmaker. Potter began making 8mm films, and has also worked as a choreographer and opera director. Her film 'Orlando' (1992), starring Tilda Swinton, an adaptation of Virginia Woolf's classic, first brought her work to a wider audience. She is known for her innovative form and risk-taking subject matter.