See-Saw Films


See-Saw Films is a British-Australian film and television production company founded in 2008 by Iain Canning and Emile Sherman, with offices in London and Sydney. Their productions include The King's Speech, Top Of The Lake, Lion, The Power of the Dog, Slow Horses, and the British teen series Heartstopper.

History

Producers Iain Canning and Emile Sherman co-founded See-Saw Films in 2008.
In 2011, See-Saw won the Academy Award for Best Picture for their film The King's Speech directed by Tom Hooper. The film stars Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter.
See-Saw's first television series was Top Of The Lake, directed by Jane Campion and starring Elisabeth Moss and Holly Hunter. The first series released in 2013 and was nominated for eight Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards. The second series, Top Of The Lake: China Girl, also directed by Campion, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival 2017. Elisabeth Moss reprises her role as Detective Robin Griffin in Top Of The Lake: China Girl, which also stars Nicole Kidman and Gwendoline Christie.
See-Saw produced Lion, which premiered in 2016 at the Toronto International Film Festival and stars Dev Patel, Nicole Kidman and Rooney Mara. The film was nominated for six Academy Awards, won two BAFTA Awards, and won 12 AACTA Awards.
In 2019, See-Saw produced short-form British comedy series, State of the Union, which premiered on Sundance TV. The first season won three Emmy Awards and stars Rosamund Pike and Chris O'Dowd. In 2021, the series was renewed for a second season and stars Brendan Gleeson and Patricia Clarkson.
In 2021 releases included British TV series The North Water, written and directed by Andrew Haigh, starring Jack O'Connell and Colin Farrell; and Australian TV series Firebite, written by Warwick Thornton and Brendan Fletcher and directed by Thornton, Fletcher and Tony Krawitz. Both series premiered on AMC+ in the United States.
Toward the end of 2021, Netflix released The Power of the Dog, which is See-Saw's second collaboration with Jane Campion. In 2022, the film won two BAFTAs including Best Film, and was nominated for 12 Academy Awards, with Jane Campion going on to win Best Director. The film originally premiered at the 78th Venice International Film Festival and Campion was awarded the Silver Lion for Best Director.
TV released in 2022 include Slow Horses seasons one and two and The Essex Serpent for Apple TV+, and Heartstopper season one for Netflix. See-Saw's films that released in 2022 were Operation Mincemeat and The Stranger. Florian Zeller's The Son premiered at the 79th Venice International Film Festival and will release theatrically in early 2023.
In March 2025, French media conglomerate Mediawan acquired a 51% majority stake in See-Saw Films in a cash and stock deal for an undisclosed sum.

People

Iain Canning and Emile Sherman co-founded the company, and as of 2022 remain co-managing directors.
Executive producer of television in the UK, Patrick Walters, joined the company in 2014 and was promoted in 2018 to head of TV development in the UK, US and Australia as well as serving as executive producer on selected UK productions.
Simon Gillis is chief operating officer.

Subsidiaries and associated companies

See-Saw has an in-house sales arm, Cross City Films, which handles international sales of its titles in select territories.
Between 2019 and 2020, See-Saw Films launched joint venture production companies I Am That with Lion director Garth Davis, and Picking Scabs with Samantha Strauss, creator and screenwriter of the Fox Showcase/Sky Atlantic television series The End. I Am That's 50-50 partnership with See-Saw develops feature film and TV projects for Davis to direct and produce alongside See-Saw's managing directors, Canning and Sherman, while Picking Scabs develops projects for Strauss to write and produce with See-Saw

Productions

Film

YearFilmDirectorWriterNotes
2009LinearAnton Corbijn
2010Oranges and SunshineJim LoachRona Munro
2010The Kings of MykonosPeter AndrikidisNominated – AFI Readers' Choice Award
2010The King's SpeechTom HooperDavid Seidler
2011ShameSteve McQueenSteve McQueen;
Abi Morgan
2012Dead EuropeTony KrawitzLouise Fox
2013TracksJohn CurranMarion Nelson
2015LifeAnton CorbijnLuke Davies
2015MacbethJustin KurzelJacob Koskoff; Michael Lesslie; Todd Louiso
2015Mr. HolmesBill CondonJeffrey Hatcher
2015Slow WestJohn MacleanJohn Maclean
2016LionGarth DavisLuke Davies
2017How to Talk to Girls at PartiesJohn Cameron MitchellPhilippa Goslett; John Cameron Mitchell
2018Mary MagdaleneGarth DavisHelen Edmundson; Philippa Goslett
2018WidowsSteve McQueenGillian Flynn; Steve McQueen
2019The Day Shall ComeChris MorrisChris Morris; Jesse Armstrong
2020AmmoniteFrancis LeeFrancis Lee
2021The Power of the DogJane CampionJane Campion
2022Operation MincemeatJohn MaddenMichelle Ashford
2022The StrangerThomas M. WrightThomas M. WrightPremiered in Un Certain Regard at 75th Cannes Film Festival
2022The SonFlorian ZellerFlorian Zeller, Christopher Hampton
2023FoeGarth DavisIain Reid and Garth Davis
2023The Royal HotelKitty GreenKitty Green and Oscar Redding
2023One LifeJames HawesLucinda Coxon and Nick Drake
TBAWizards!David MichôdDavid Michôd

Television

YearShowWriterDirectorNotes
2013Top of the LakeJane Campion, Gerard LeeJane Campion, Garth Davis
2015BanishedJimmy McGovern, Shaun DugganDaniel Percival, Jeffrey WalkerNominated – AACTA Award for Best Telefeature or Miniseries
2016Codes of ConductMatthew Michael CarnahanSteve McQueen
2016Love, NinaNick Hornby, Nina StibbeS.J. Clarkson
2017Top of the Lake: China GirlJane Campion, Gerard LeeJane Campion, Ariel KleimanNominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
2018The New Legends of MonkeyJacquelin PerskeGerald JohnstoneNominated - AACTA Award for Best Children's Television Series
2019State of the UnionNick HornbyStephen FrearsEmmy Award for Outstanding Short Form Comedy or Drama Series
2020The EndSamantha StraussJessica M. Thompson; Jonathan BroughNominated - AACTA Award for Best Miniseries or Telefeature
2021The North WaterAndrew HaighAndrew Haigh
2021FirebiteWarwick Thornton; Brendan FletcherWarwick Thornton; Brendan Fletcher; Tony Krawitz
2022Slow HorsesWill Smith; Morwenna Banks; Mark Denton; Jonny StockwoodJames Hawes
2022HeartstopperAlice OsemanEuros LynNominated for nine Children's and Family Emmys
2022The Essex SerpentAnna SymonClio Barnard
2024SweetpeaKirstie SwainElla Jones
2025Apple Cider VinegarSamantha StraussJeffrey Walker-