Elizabeth Karlsen


Elizabeth Karlsen is an American–British film producer. Her career has spanned over three and a half decades, and in 2019, she was awarded the BAFTA award for Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema. Her work has garnered a total of 52 BAFTA nominations and wins, and 20 Academy Award® nominations and wins. In 2002, she co-founded Number 9 Films with production partner and husband, Stephen Woolley.

Career

She has produced independent films in the US and Europe including: Todd Haynes’s CAROL Mark Herman’s LITTLE VOICE Neil Jordan’s THE CRYING GAME, MADE IN DAGENHAM and Phyllis Nagy’s MRS HARRIS and Wash Westmoreland’s COLETTE. Other work includes: ON CHESIL BEACH, written by Ian McEwan and directed by Dominic Cooke; THEIR FINEST, directed by Lone Scherfig; THE LIMEHOUSE GOLEM written by Jane Goldman and directed by Juan Carlos Medina, GREAT EXPECTATIONS, written by David Nicholls and directed by Mike Newell, THE NEON BIBLE directed by Terence Davies and BYZANTIUM directed by Neil Jordan and as co-producer Paolo Sorrentino’s YOUTH . She also produced the international box office success Ladies in Lavender, starring Maggie Smith and Judi Dench.
She has had multiple films selected for Palme D’Or competition in Cannes and premieres in international film festivals including TIFF, LFF, NY and Sundance.
In addition to film work, MADE IN DAGENHAM: THE MUSICAL opened in London’s West End in 2014 starring Gemma Arterton.
Elizabeth has served on the board of The Edinburgh Film Festival, the NFTS Gala, the American Academy of Motion Pictures and Arts Events Committee, and was chair of Women in Film and TV UK.
In 2025, Karlsen was the Jury President of the Official Competition at the 69th BFI London Film Festival.

Filmography

Director's name in brackets after film title.
  • 2021: Mothering Sunday
  • 2018: Colette
  • 2017: On Chesil Beach
  • 2017: The Limehouse Golem
  • 2016: Their Finest
  • 2015: Carol
  • 2015: Youth
  • 2014: Hyena
  • 2012: Great Expectations
  • 2012: Byzantium
  • 2012: Midnight's Children
  • 2010: Made in Dagenham
  • 2009: Perrier's Bounty
  • 2008: How to Lose Friends & Alienate People
  • 2008: Sounds Like Teen Spirit
  • 2007: And When Did You Last See Your Father?
  • 2006: Sixty Six
  • 2005: Mrs. Harris
  • 2004: Ladies in Lavender
  • 2000: Purely Belter
  • 1998: Little Voice
  • 1996: Hollow Reed
  • 1995: The Neon Bible
  • 1992: The Crying Game
  • 1991: The Pope Must Diet
  • 1990: ''Hardware''