Franny Armstrong

Franny Armstrong is a director of the McLibel documentary and obsessive McSpotlight fan, on new media's battle with the burgers.

Franny Armstrong (born in 1972) is a British documentary film director  working for her own company, Spanner Films. She is primarily known for three films: The Age of Stupid, about climate change, McLibel, about the infamous McDonald's court case and Drowned Out, following the fight against the Narmada Dam Project. Her most recent project is the UK-wide campaign 10:10, which aims to cut 10% of the UK's emissions during 2010. Since 10:10's launch in September 2009, the UK's leading politicians have signed up to the campaign, along with many prominent companies, organisations and individuals.

Armstrong's first documentary, McLibel (1997, 2005), told the story of the McDonald's libel trial, the longest-running court action in English history. Filmed over ten years with no commission, no budget and a voluntary crew ? including Ken Loach, who directed the courtroom reconstructions ? it shot to notoriety when lawyers prevented its broadcast, first at BBC1 and then at Channel 4 in 1997. Eight years later - after the 'McLibel Two' had defeated the British government at the European Court of Human Rights ? it was finally broadcast on BBC2 at 10.30pm on a Sunday, to an estimated 1 million viewers. It was well received by critics, with Time Out crediting Armstrong with "gusto and wit" in telling a story that "will satisfy both head and heart". It was then broadcast on TV in 15 countries ? including Australia, Canada and the USA ? and released on DVD worldwide. McLibel was released in cinemas and DVD stores in the USA in summer 2005 and this was followed in the UK in 2006. McLibel was nominated for numerous awards, including the Grierson Documentary Award and the British Independent Film Awards. It was recently picked for the British Film Institute's prestigious series, "Ten Documentaries which Changed the World".



    * McLibel
    * Drowned Out
    * Baked Alaska
    * The Age of Stupid