ABOUT ME

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 5 awards to date, including Best Director at the Monza Film Festival in Italy. Down Came The Rain, a poetic meditation on trauma and control, was awarded Best Crime/Violence Film, while 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 currently developing Untethered: The Watched, a bold new vertical drama for TikTok. Set during the early days of lockdown, this psychological sci-fi thriller explores identity, surveillance, and the limits of connection — and forms part of a larger cinematic universe.

Her directing style is grounded in a wide range of experience: from SLRs to Arri Alexas, and even 16 mm 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, is an award-winning actress, and earned a Fringe First for her performance in the devised play Dreamstate. Her medium format photography has 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 2023/25 BAFTA Connect cohort and a selected participant of the 2025/26 Directors UK Inspire mentorship programme.

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.