Ellena Wood
agent: Camilla Chiverton - camilla@sternwild.com
Ellena Wood is a BAFTA-nominated director and cinematographer, celebrated for her creative vision and impactful filmmaking. She is known for her ability to secure difficult and sensitive access, forming deep bonds with contributors to uncover the complexity within subjects we think we understand. Ellena has directed critically acclaimed films for major broadcasters including Netflix, Sky, the BBC, and Channel 4.
A highly creative filmmaker and cinematographer, Ellena brings a distinctive visual style and a relentless drive to elevate every film she makes. Her work spans both retrospective and observational filmmaking, including The Ripper (No. 1 on Netflix UK, Top 5 Netflix Global), Life and Death Row (BBC BAFTA-winning series), and the BAFTA-nominated Louis Theroux: Talking to Anorexia. In 2018, she was named a BAFTA Breakthrough Brit, recognising her as one of the UK’s most exciting emerging screen talents.
Ellena’s latest project, Inside the Cult of the Jesus Army, a powerful two-part documentary series exploring the origins of, and abuses within, one of Britain’s most infamous cults—premiered at Sheffield DocFest 2025, earning widespread critical acclaim. The Financial Times praised it as “excellent… powerful… told with skill and grace.”
Her storytelling is marked by subtlety, emotional intelligence, and a strong moral compass - qualities that consistently earn the trust of the people whose stories she tells. She has a proven track record of developing projects from the ground up - securing access, shaping stories, and winning commissions.