about
ENEMY FILMS is a Scottish production company focused on high-end cinema documentaries and dramas that are suitable for an international audience. We make films that are political, powerful and amplify voices that are seldom heard.
The company was born through the collaboration of Mark Lacey and Sinéad Kirwan with Owen Gower on the award-winning STILL THE ENEMY WITHIN. Since then, they have been joined by award-winning director Chloë Fairweather. Its productions include HONG KONG:CITY ON FIRE (CPH: FACT WINNER), which was released UK nationwide in 2022 through Odeon cinemas and BURN ON ARRIVAL, a dark short thriller set in the Scottish Highlands starring Kate Dickie and James Harkness, that premiered at the Glasgow International Short Film Festival and has since been screened around the world, winning numerous awards.
In 2021 Sinéad Kirwan and Chloë Fairweather completed DYING TO DIVORCE which after premiering at Hot Docs won a slew of awards including Best Feature at the Scottish Baftas and Best Breakthrough Film at the Welsh Baftas. In 2021 the film was selected as a UK Entry as the Best International Feature to the Oscars.
The team all work independently reuniting for special stories that they feel must be made. They love collaborating with directors and producers across the globe, elevating underrepresented voices and creating authentic thrilling films.
Sinead Kirwan
Sinead Kirwan is an award-winning multi-disciplinary producer, working across film, TV, interactives, and installations. Her films include STILL THE ENEMY WITHIN (Sheffield Doc Fest Audience Award Winner), DYING TO DIVORCE (Prix Europa Nominee, Rose’dorNominee, Winner Golden Nymph, UK Entry Best International Feature Oscars), WHEN A CITY RISES (CPH:DOX F:ACT winner) for Arte and PLAYING THE GAME: GARRY O'CONNOR, a film about mental health for BBC Scotland as well as the short drama BURN ON ARRIVAL starring Kate Dickie. Her first animation I DON’T WANT TO CALL IT HOME screened at Edinburgh International Film Festival, Dinard Film Festival and Calcareous Film Festival.
mark lacey
Mark has a wealth of experience in multiple production roles specialising in animation and documentary as well as drama. He has worked on numerous award-winning commercials, independent features and large-scale productions. These include Wes Anderson’s ISLE OF DOGS and Tim Burton’s FRANKENWEENIE both of which have been nominated at the Oscars and Golden Globes. His first drama feature as a producer, SILENT NIGHT was just released, garnering four stars in Total Film. Documentary credits include producer on STILL THE ENEMY WITHIN, post-production producer on DESTINATION UNKNOWN (a documentary about holocaust survivors) (Selected for Sheffield Doc/Fest 2016), line producer ONE MAN ON HIS SHOES (selected for SXSW, brought by BBC Three/ Vice) and edit producer on hit BBC Scotland show A VIEW FROM THE TERRACE.
owen gower
Owen made his directing debut in 2014 with the feature documentary ‘Still the Enemy Within’ about the 1984/85 Miners Strike. Critically acclaimed, with the Guardian calling it ‘as gripping as a thriller’ – the film went on to win a prestigious Sheffield International Documentary Award and Focal Award, be Grierson nominated, screened at BAFTA, and inducted by the BFI as a film of historic importance. Since then, Owen has directed a number of prime-time television series for BBC ONE, CHANNEL 4 and NETFLIX.
