Nigel Finch

Nigel Lucius Graeme Finch (1 August 1949 – 14 February 1995) was an English film director and filmmaker whose career influenced the growth of British gay cinema.[1]

Biography

Nigel Finch was born in Tenterden, Kent, the son of Graham and Tibby Finch, and raised in Bromley, south east London. He studied art history at the University of Sussex.[2]

Finch began working as co-editor for the BBC television documentary series Arena in the early 1970s.[2] He produced and directed many notable programs including My Way (1978), and The Private Life of the Ford Cortina (1982). He rose to prominence with the documentary Chelsea Hotel (1981), which profiled the famed New York hotel[3] and its legacy of famous gay guests, including Oscar Wilde, Tennessee Williams, William S. Burroughs, Quentin Crisp and Andy Warhol. His documentary subjects include artist Robert Mapplethorpe (1988), filmmaker Kenneth Anger (1991),[1] and artist Louise Bourgeois (1994). Finch went on to direct films such as the BAFTA-nominated drama The Lost Language of Cranes, and the musical soap opera The Vampyr.

Finch died from AIDS-related illness in London in 1995 during post-production of his first full-length feature film Stonewall, a docudrama loosely based on events leading up to the 1969 Stonewall riots in New York City.[2][4]

Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
1978Fear and Loathing in Gonzovision director; producerOmnibus series TV documentary; also known as Fear and Loathing on the Road to Hollywood
1978My Way directorArena series TV documentary
1980The Errand directorshort film
1981Did You Miss Me? directorArena series TV documentary
1981Chelsea Hotel directorArena series TV documentary of the Hotel Chelsea in New York City
1982The Private Life of the Ford Cortina directorArena series TV documentary
1983Kurt Vonnegut , Jr: "Deadeye Dick" directorArena series TV documentary
1984The Caravaggio Conspiracy director
1985Ligmalion: A Musical for the 80s director; producerTV film
1986Raspberry Ripple directorTV film
1986Shergar directorScreen Two TV series episode (Season 2, Episode 11)
1988Robert Mapplethorpe directorArena series TV documentary featuring Robert Mapplethorpe
1988Whatever Lola Wants directorBergerac TV series episode
198925x5: The Continuing Adventures of the Rolling Stones directorTV documentary
1991Paris Is Burning[5] executive producerdocumentary
1991Kenneth Anger directordocumentary about film-maker Kenneth Anger
1991The Lost Language of Cranes directorTV film; also 1992 Screen Two TV series episode (Season 8, Episode 4)
1992–1993The Vampyr: A Soap Opera directorTV miniseries
1993Tales of Rock 'N' Roll: Peggy Sue directorArena series TV documentary on the Buddy Holly song "Peggy Sue"
1993Pirates[6] director; producerArena series TV documentary on East London pirate radio stations, as part of Arena: Radio Night
1994Louise Bourgeois: No Trespassing director
1995Stonewall director

Accolades
Year Award Category Nominated work Result
1988 BAFTA TV Award Best Factual Series Arena TV series Nominated
1989 BAFTA TV Award Best Factual Series Arena TV series Won
1990 BAFTA TV Award Best Factual Series Arena TV series Nominated
1991 BAFTA TV Award Best Factual Series Arena TV series Nominated
1992 BAFTA TV Award Best Factual Series Arena TV series Nominated
1981 Chicago International Film Festival Gold Hugo Best Short Film The Errand Nominated
1995 BFI London Film Festival Audience Award Stonewall Won
1996 Frameline Film Festival Audience Award Stonewall Won

Nigel Finch's death was commemorated in the ending title of the opera-film "Dido and Aeneas" (1995) directed by Peter Maniura (conducted by Richard Hickox. See the corresponding entry in Dido and Aeneas discography).

References
  1. Forde, John (2006). Routledge International Encyclopedia of Queer Culture. London: Routledge. p. 217.
  2. Williams, Nigel (17 February 1995). "Obituary: Nigel Finch". The Independent. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
  3. "BBC Blogs - Arena Gazette - Tribute to Nigel Finch". BBC. 19 February 2015.
  4. Levy, Emanuel (23 July 1996). "Riot Girls". The Advocate. Liberation Publications Inc.: 51–53.
  5. Xtravaganza, Brooke; Christian, André; Corey, Dorian; Duprée, Paris (1 August 1991), Paris Is Burning, retrieved 28 April 2017
  6. "Arena: Radio Night - BBC Two England, 18 December 1993 - BBC Genome". BBC Genome. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
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