Sam French

Writer. Director. Producer.

An Oscar-nominated filmmaker and founding director of the documentary production company Development Pictures, Sam’s work has appeared on HBO, BBC, CNN, Channel 4 News, Al Jazeera, National Geographic, and other broadcast outlets.

Sam spent five years in Afghanistan, where he directed the Oscar-nominated narrative short film “Buzkashi Boys.” Most recently, his documentary With This Breath I Fly, about two heroic Afghan women fighting for their freedom after being imprisoned for “moral crimes,” won the Audience Award at the Austin Film Festival.

Sam has directed episodes of the Emmy-nominated documentary series Religion of Sports, the Emmy-nominated series Why We Fight, and the Red Bull series All In and Life of Kai. He is currently adapting Richard K. Morgan’s epic fantasy series A Land Fit for Heroes for television.

Sam believes in the power of storytelling to connect people across different cultures, and that if we share our stories we can change the world. He lives in Los Angeles.

Endorsements

"When you have Sam French on your team, everything moves up a few notches."

-- Leehom Wang, China's "King of Pop"

"Sam is a very talented storyteller: he knows how narrative structure works and is an extremely effective communicator, both in person and via the written word."

-- Victor Buhler, Producer, Religion of Sports

"He has an infectious optimism and positivity, and is immensely empathetic to both the subjects in his work and to the people he works with.'

-- Martin Roe, President, Dirty Robber

"Sam exudes confidence with his narratives, thrives in brainstorming environments, and is always excited about adapting and incorporating feedback from his colleagues."

-- Leslie Knott, Producer, Tiger Nest Films

"Sam has an ability to communicate his ideas clearly and effectively, being a leader while at the same time remaining open to input and feedback from his entire team."

-- Sarah Anthony, Producer

Frequent Collaborators: