About.
James is a London-based writer/director. Inspired by his formative years spent between the sleepy suburbs of Southern England and the industrial North, his work explores modern British life through character-driven social realism with a surreal edge.
In 2023, James was named by the Young Arrows and Creative Circle as one of the most promising commercial directors in the UK. In 2022, his narrative debut, LEOPARD, starring Elisha Applebaum (Netflix's Fate: The Winx Saga), won several awards including Best Drama at the British Short Film Awards, and has garnered over 100,000 views. In 2021, he won a 1.4 'On The Cusp' Award and was shortlisted for a Cannes Lion Young Director Award and Venice TV Award. He is currently in pre-production for BLACK CAB and writing his first feature.
Contact
Enquires: jamesnicholasarden@gmail.com
Footage Licensing (Worldwide): Filmsupply
Photo Licensing (Worldwide): Kintzing
Associate Member: Directors UK
Awards
Young Arrows 2023 - Best New Director - Shortlist
Berlin Commercial 2023 - Shortlist x 2
Creative Circle Awards 2023 - Most Promising Director - Nomination
Charity Film Awards 2023 - Winner x 2
British Short Film Awards 2022 - Best Drama - Winner
PromoNews 2022 - Best Music Videos of the Year: Rock & Alt
1.4 Awards 2021 - On The Cusp - Winner
Venice TV Award 2021 - New Talent - Nomination
Cannes Lions 2021 - Young Director Award - Nomination
PromoNews 2021 - Best Music Videos of the Year: Pop & R&B
Kinsale Sharks Awards 2020 - Best Director - Nomination
Lift Off Global Awards 2020 - Best First Film - Winner
London Lift-Off Film Festival 2020 - Best Short Film - Winner
Kerry International Film Festival 2020 - Best International Short - Winner
Features
LBBOnline, David Reviews, Directors Notes, Kodak Shot on Film, The Guardian, NME, Rolling Stone, Vice, ID, MTV, Boom TV, Beyond the Short, Shorts on Tap, Videoclip Italia, PromoNews.