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IMDbPro

AJ Sykes

  • Director
  • Writer
  • Producer
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
AJ Sykes
AJ Sykes is a visionary writer-director with a distinctive voice in grounded science fiction and emotionally resonant storytelling. She holds a Master's in Directing & Screenwriting and an MFA in Advanced Film Practice, with a portfolio of award-winning short films ranging from 2 to 35 minutes. Her work has been showcased at over 50 international festivals, earning more than 30 nominations and 15 awards.

Her recent short The Biscuit Tin continues its successful festival run, winning five awards to date, including Best Director at the Monza Film Festival in Italy. As well as Down Came The Rain, a poetic meditation on trauma and control, which was awarded Best Crime/Violence Film and Echoes of Yesterday - a haunting dual narrative of war and loss - has already received two Honourable Mentions and a win for Best War/Action Film.

AJ is developing Untethered: The Watched, a bold new vertical drama set for release on TikTok in autumn 2025. Set during the early days of lock-down, this psychological sci-fi thriller explores identity, surveillance, and the limits of connection - and forms part of the larger Untethered cinematic universe.

Her directing style is grounded in a wide range of experience: from SLRs to Arri Alexas, and even 8mm film. She previously directed the award-winning Regrets (Akram Films), and the music video Heard for Travelled Music's world-first augmented reality album.

AJ's creative roots span theatre, photography, and performance. She holds a DSMS in Stage Management and Television Production from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and is an award-winning actress who earned a Fringe First for her performance in the play Dreamstate. Her medium format photography has been exhibited across the UK, and she produced the album cover for Red Light Means Go by A Band Called Quinn.

She has shadowed directors on Good Omens, Shetland, and STV News, and was recently supported by Screen Scotland's Professional Development Fund to shadow on Channel 4's Summerwaters. She is a member of the 2023/24 BAFTA Connect cohort and a selected participant of the 2025/26 Directors UK Inspire mentorship program, and a trustee of the Directors Charitable Foundation..

AJ's work continues to explore the liminal spaces between realities - always driven by cinematic precision, emotional truth, and a deep curiosity about what it means to be human.
  • More at IMDbPro
    • Contact info
    • Agent info
    • Resume
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 13 wins & 17 nominations total

    Photos8

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    Known for

    The Biscuit Tin (2023)
    The Biscuit Tin
    Short
    • Director
    • 2023
    Kate Donnelly and Lenny Mullan in Regrets (2018)
    Regrets
    Short
    • Director
    • 2018
    Perfect Worlds (2016)
    Perfect Worlds
    Short
    • Director
    • 2016
    Joséfa Celestin and Jamie Thornburn in Morning Paper (2015)
    Morning Paper
    Short
    • Director
    • 2015

    Credits

    Edit
    IMDbPro

    Director



    • Project 19
      • Director
      • Post-production
      • TV Series



    • Down Came the Rain (2025)
      Down Came the Rain
      Short
      • Director (writer, director and producer)
      • 2025
    • Echoes of Yesterday (2025)
      Echoes of Yesterday
      Short
      • Director
      • 2025
    • The Biscuit Tin (2023)
      The Biscuit Tin
      Short
      • Director
      • 2023
    • Kate Donnelly and Lenny Mullan in Regrets (2018)
      Regrets
      Short
      • Director
      • 2018
    • Perfect Worlds (2016)
      Perfect Worlds
      Short
      • Director
      • 2016
    • Nicola Campbell in Date Night (2015)
      Date Night
      Short
      • Director
      • 2015
    • Joséfa Celestin and Jamie Thornburn in Morning Paper (2015)
      Morning Paper
      Short
      • Director
      • 2015
    • Katy Hale and Gavin Mitchell in The Book Keepers (2015)
      The Book Keepers
      Short
      • Director
      • 2015
    • Heard (2015)
      Heard
      Music Video
      • Director (writer, director and producer)
      • 2015
    • Clare Ross and Joseph Brown in Zygote 379008 219657 (2014)
      Zygote 379008 219657
      Short
      • Director
      • 2014
    • Annabel Logan in A Single Tear (2014)
      A Single Tear
      Short
      • Director
      • 2014

    Writer



    • Project 19
      • Writer
      • Post-production
      • TV Series



    • Down Came the Rain (2025)
      Down Came the Rain
      Short
      • writer
      • 2025
    • Echoes of Yesterday (2025)
      Echoes of Yesterday
      Short
      • Writer
      • 2025
    • The Biscuit Tin (2023)
      The Biscuit Tin
      Short
      • Writer
      • 2023
    • Perfect Worlds (2016)
      Perfect Worlds
      Short
      • Writer
      • 2016
    • Nicola Campbell in Date Night (2015)
      Date Night
      Short
      • Writer
      • 2015
    • Joséfa Celestin and Jamie Thornburn in Morning Paper (2015)
      Morning Paper
      Short
      • Writer
      • 2015
    • Katy Hale and Gavin Mitchell in The Book Keepers (2015)
      The Book Keepers
      Short
      • Writer
      • 2015
    • Heard (2015)
      Heard
      Music Video
      • writer
      • 2015
    • Annabel Logan in A Single Tear (2014)
      A Single Tear
      Short
      • Writer
      • 2014

    Producer



    • Project 19
      • producer
      • Post-production
      • TV Series



    • Down Came the Rain (2025)
      Down Came the Rain
      Short
      • producer
      • 2025
    • Echoes of Yesterday (2025)
      Echoes of Yesterday
      Short
      • producer
      • 2025
    • The Biscuit Tin (2023)
      The Biscuit Tin
      Short
      • producer
      • 2023
    • Perfect Worlds (2016)
      Perfect Worlds
      Short
      • producer
      • 2016
    • Nicola Campbell in Date Night (2015)
      Date Night
      Short
      • producer
      • 2015
    • Joséfa Celestin and Jamie Thornburn in Morning Paper (2015)
      Morning Paper
      Short
      • producer
      • 2015
    • Heard (2015)
      Heard
      Music Video
      • producer
      • 2015
    • Annabel Logan in A Single Tear (2014)
      A Single Tear
      Short
      • producer
      • 2014

    • In-development projects at IMDbPro

    Personal details

    Edit
    • Alternative name
      • Mandy Sykes

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Nickname
      • Mandy

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