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Andrew de Burgh is a British filmmaker celebrated for his versatile storytelling and unique cinematic vision. Born in Shrewsbury, England, to an English father and an Indian mother, his multicultural upbringing across the UK, India, Dubai, and the United States has deeply influenced his creative perspective. A graduate of Pepperdine University with a double major in Film Studies and Advertising, de Burgh began his career with the psychological thriller short film Just One Drink (2015), which earned a 100% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes.
His filmography spans diverse genres, including the thought-provoking sci-fi feature The Bestowal (2019) and the horror thriller The Seductress from Hell (2024). Known for blending emotional depth with genre elements, his works have been showcased at festivals like MegaCon and the Dhaka International Film Festival. As a storyteller, de Burgh continues to push boundaries, and his latest projects are expanding his reputation as a filmmaker.
Bidhan Rebeiro, editor of Cinema Dorshon, conducted his interview on 21st December 2024.
Q: Hello, Andrew de Burgh! I assume you’re busy with your new project, The Magic of Santa Claus (2025), which will be screened at the 23rd Dhaka International Film Festival next January. While you won’t be attending the festival yourself, your film will. Could you tell us more about this project and how you feel about missing the event?
A: Firstly, I'd like to say that my team and I are very grateful to have been accepted and are excited for audiences to watch “The Magic of Santa Claus” at the 23rd Dhaka International Film Festival. The film was inspired by the classic 1982 silent animated short film “The Snowman” which is one of my all time favorite films. My film's stop-motion aspect was also influenced by the “Wallace and Gromit” series, which I’m also a fan of. I’m a huge fan of the character Santa Claus (I also directed an animated short film in 2021 called “The Legend of Santa” which did well at festivals). I definitely feel bad about missing the event as I would be there if I could.
Q: Could you briefly explain The Magic of Santa Claus (2025)? What is the film about, and what are its genre and concept?
A: “The Magic of Santa Claus” is a 9 minute stop-motion silent short film about Santa Claus receiving tragic news on Christmas Eve. Despite this setback, he doesn’t stop with his mission of giving gifts and bringing happiness to children all around the world. During the course of the film, he travels with his elves and reindeer to both England and Turkey. The film also features a flashback scene to his early days as the bishop Saint Nicholas of Myra, who was the real life historical figure Santa Claus is based on. The film also features an original orchestral soundtrack from my regular collaborator; musical artist Elezeid. I would consider it a fantasy, family and adventure film. The film is also intended to be a rallying cry for empathy. I think one of the reasons I’m drawn to telling stories about Santa Claus is that he does things for other people without any expectation of reward in any way. In the flashback scene, we also examine how Saint Nicholas came to be Santa Claus. I would consider the film both historical fiction and fantasy.
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Q: Growing up, you were fascinated by films like Home Alone, Toy Story, and Star Wars: Episode I. How did these childhood favourites influence your storytelling style as a filmmaker?
A: I think one of the first things that come to mind when I consider the films that inspired me in my childhood (and even to this day) is the importance of music when it comes to storytelling. All those three films you mentioned have iconic soundtracks, and this is something I try my best to incorporate in all of my own projects. I also think those films inspire a desire in me to entertain the audience when they are watching my films.
Q: Your upbringing spanned the UK, India, Dubai, and eventually the United States. How has this diverse cultural background shaped your perspective and approach to filmmaking?
A: I think my diverse cultural background shaped my perspective and approach to filmmaking mainly in the sense that living in so many different countries taught me that deep down humans have much more in common than they realize. I think this is one of the reasons I’m drawn to film in a world with division; film is a very powerful medium that can bring people together. For example, my first feature film, the dialogue driven sci-fi drama “The Bestowal” which actually screened at the 2020 Dhaka International Film Festival and starred Bengali American actress Sharmita Bhattacharya, was about making the world a better place. It told the story of a selfish businessman who ends up turning his life around through altruism and compassion. In terms of my own perspective and approach to filmmaking, though I love American films, I am also inspired a lot by Korean and Japanese films, in particular those in the horror and thriller genres.
Q: Your debut short film, Just One Drink, received a 100% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes. How did this early success impact your confidence and career trajectory?
A: I was very lucky that my first professional short film, the psychological thriller “Just One Drink” scored a 100% critic score and I think the success of the film (it was even distributed as an Editor’s Pick by ShortsTV, the world’s leading short film distributor) contributed to my belief to continue to pursue filmmaking professionally. To receive acclaim from experienced critics so early in my career was truly incredible. I think the success of that film also gave production companies and financiers that I ended up working with confidence in my filmmaking abilities. That being said, I am always learning and looking to grow as a filmmaker. My goal is to continue telling stories and get better at what I do.
Q: You've worked across genres, from the psychological thriller Just One Drink to the horror The Seductress from Hell. What draws you to such varied storytelling styles, and do you have a favourite genre to work in?
A: I think, for me, what is more important than the genre is the story itself. I’ve been lucky to have done narrative projects in the horror, thriller, science fiction and children’s fantasy genres (“The Magic of Santa Claus” being one of them) but the one thing all my projects have in common is that I’m very passionate about all of them. For example, “Just One Drink” was a thriller inspired by some of my favorite thriller films like “Oldboy” and “Fatal Attraction”. “The Seductress from Hell” is a horror-thriller film about a struggling Hollywood actress who becomes a villain after being pushed to the edge by her psychopathic husband. The goal was to show how a cruel society can produce villains and is actually a rallying cry for a more empathetic society. My first feature film, the sci-fi drama “The Bestowal” is a film in which I wanted to show that compassion can produce a better society. In terms of my latest film “The Magic of Santa Claus”, it’s a film in which we show a very empathetic character (Santa Claus) and how he dedicates his life to serving others. At the end of the day, I think cinema as a whole is what I’m drawn to more than anything else. In terms of a favorite genre to work in, I don’t think I have one to be honest.
Q: Your debut TV series, The Twisted Doll, recently premiered on ZEE5 and Cpics. What was the inspiration behind this project, and how was the experience different from directing films?
A: The inspiration behind my debut TV series “The Twisted Doll” was actually my 2017 silent thriller short film of the same name which the series is actually inspired by. The series is an expansion and adaptation of the story in the short film. For many years, I was trying to get financing for a feature film version and in 2022, I was grateful to meet Kavi Raz (“The Black Prince”) who had started Cpics, a South Asian focused streaming platform. I rewrote the screenplay to be a TV series and I was happy that Cpics decided to produce the show. I think because it was originally written as a feature film and because I consider it to be somewhat of a cinematic TV show, the experience wasn’t too different from directing films. The entire runtime of Season One of the show is a little less than three hours, which is essentially the same length as a long movie. When working together, the composer Elezeid and I approached the original soundtrack as that of a film in the sense that every scene in the show was analyzed carefully and scored with the level of detail that a composer would score a film. That being said, it is a TV show at the end of the day. I’m very grateful that soon after the release, it actually trended first in the crime section of ZEE5.
Q: With the release of The Seductress from Hell and your work on The Magic of Santa Claus (2025), what can audiences expect from your upcoming projects, and do you have any dream collaborations in mind?
A: In terms of “The Seductress from Hell”, we’re very grateful that it is currently doing well on the film festival circuit. We actually just screened a couple of weeks ago at the Culver City Film Festival in Los Angeles. With “The Magic of Santa Claus” currently on the festival circuit (we are excited for audiences to watch it at the Dhaka International Film Festival), the plan is to release it on streaming platforms to a wider audience in December 2025 after the film festival circuit. I am currently in pre-production with a horror fantasy feature film called “The Demoness”, which recently added Bella Glanville (“Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning”) and Will Roberts (“Oppenheimer”) to it’s cast. In terms of dream collaborations, I am a big Tom Cruise fan and would love to work with him one day. Additionally, I’m very passionate about what I do and dream collaborations essentially involve people that are equally passionate about what they do, whether they are producers, cinematographers, actors etc.
Q: The Bangladeshi film industry has been gradually gaining recognition at international festivals. What do you think about this development?
A: I think it’s amazing. Although I am not of Bangladeshi origin, I am half Indian and am a big believer in the power of South Asian storytelling and am really happy to hear that the Bangladeshi film industry has been gaining recognition at international film festivals. I think the social media followings that some Bangladeshi actresses have is great. For example, Nusraat Faria Mazhar has 4 million Instagram followers which is really impressive. If an opportunity ever arose to do a film in Bangladesh, I would be thrilled to accept.
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