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 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 Year Film Director Writer Notes2009LinearAnton Corbijn2010Oranges and SunshineJim LoachRona MunroThe Kings of MykonosPeter AndrikidisNominated – AFI Readers' Choice AwardThe King's SpeechTom HooperDavid Seidler2011 ShameSteve McQueenSteve McQueen; Abi Morgan2012 Dead EuropeTony KrawitzLouise Fox 2013 TracksJohn CurranMarion Nelson2015LifeAnton CorbijnLuke DaviesMacbethJustin KurzelJacob Koskoff; Michael Lesslie; Todd Louiso Mr. HolmesBill CondonJeffrey Hatcher Slow WestJohn MacleanJohn Maclean 2016 Lion Garth Davis Luke Davies 2017 How to Talk to Girls at Parties John Cameron Mitchell Philippa Goslett; John Cameron Mitchell2018 Mary Magdalene Garth Davis Helen Edmundson; Philippa GoslettWidowsSteve McQueen Gillian Flynn; Steve McQueen 2019The Day Shall ComeChris MorrisChris Morris; Jesse Armstrong 2020 Ammonite Francis LeeFrancis Lee 2021 The Power of the Dog Jane CampionJane Campion 2022 Operation Mincemeat John MaddenMichelle Ashford The StrangerThomas M. WrightThomas M. WrightPremiered in Un Certain Regard at 75th Cannes Film FestivalThe SonFlorian ZellerFlorian Zeller, Christopher Hampton2023FoeGarth DavisIain Reid and Garth DavisThe Royal HotelKitty Green Kitty Green and Oscar ReddingOne LifeJames HawesLucinda Coxon and Nick Drake 2026Heartstopper ForeverWash WestmorelandAlice Oseman Tenzing Jennifer Peedom Luke Davies TBAWizards!David MichôdDavid Michôd
Television
Year Show Writer Director Notes 2013 Top of the Lake Jane Campion, Gerard LeeJane Campion, Garth Davis2015BanishedJimmy McGovern, Shaun DugganDaniel Percival, Jeffrey WalkerNominated – AACTA Award for Best Telefeature or Miniseries2016Codes of ConductMatthew Michael CarnahanSteve McQueenLove, NinaNick Hornby, Nina StibbeS.J. Clarkson2017 Top of the Lake: China GirlJane Campion, Gerard LeeJane Campion, Ariel Kleiman Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television2018 The New Legends of MonkeyJacquelin PerskeGerald JohnstoneNominated - AACTA Award for Best Children's Television Series2019—2022State of the UnionNick HornbyStephen FrearsEmmy Award for Outstanding Short Form Comedy or Drama Series2020The EndSamantha StraussJessica M. Thompson; Jonathan BroughNominated — AACTA Award for Best Miniseries or Telefeature2021The North WaterAndrew HaighAndrew HaighFirebiteWarwick Thornton; Brendan FletcherWarwick Thornton; Brendan Fletcher; Tony Krawitz2022—Slow HorsesWill Smith; Morwenna Banks; Mark Denton; Jonny StockwoodJames Hawes; Jeremy Lovering; Saul Metzstein; Adam RandallNominated – Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Drama2022—2026 Heartstopper Alice Oseman Euros LynChildren's and Family Emmys Award for Outstanding Young Teen Series2022The Essex SerpentAnna SymonClio Barnard2024—SweetpeaKirstie SwainElla Jones2025Apple Cider VinegarSamantha StraussJeffrey Walker
References
External links
Includes interview with Patrick Walters.