---
name: "Paul Laverty"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/paul-laverty"
fi1m_id: "paul-laverty"
imdb_id: "nm0491956"
tmdb_id: 15490
wikidata_id: "Q922492"
roles: ["Writer"]
born: "1 January 1957"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 4
average_fi1m_score: 76
average_as: "writer"
average_over: 3
updated: "2026-10-03T00:52:05.029039+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Paul Laverty

## Identity

Paul Laverty

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/paul-laverty
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** paul-laverty
- **IMDb ID:** nm0491956
- **TMDB ID:** 15490
- **Wikidata ID:** Q922492
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Laverty, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q922492, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0491956/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/15490

Writer. Born 1 January 1957 in Kolkata.

## Details

- **Work:** Writer
- **Born:** 1 January 1957, Kolkata
- **Active:** 1995–present
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 4: 1 acting, 3 writing
- **Frequently works with:** [Ken Loach](https://film.one/person/ken-loach.md), [Rebecca O'Brien](https://film.one/person/rebecca-obrien.md)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 76, as writer, over 3 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1990s 83 (1), 2010s 82 (2), 2020s 65 (1)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 76 to 70 across 3 titles
- **Score spread:** 2 at 80+, 1 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Genres:** Drama 3
- **Screen time:** 5 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $32m across 3 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Laverty, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q922492, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0491956/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/15490

## Streaming the US now

- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Sorry We Missed You*](https://film.one/film/sorry-we-missed-you.md) (82), [*The Old Oak*](https://film.one/film/the-old-oak.md) (65)
- **AMC+:** [*I, Daniel Blake*](https://film.one/film/i-daniel-blake.md) (82)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Paul Laverty (born 1957) is an Irish and Scottish screenwriter and former lawyer, born in Kolkata. He is best known for his long-running collaboration with director Ken Loach, for whom he has written numerous screenplays since the mid-1990s.

His credits include *Carla's Song* (1996), *My Name Is Joe* (1998), *Sweet Sixteen* (2002), *The Wind That Shakes the Barley* (2006), *Looking for Eric* (2009), *The Angels' Share* (2012), *Jimmy's Hall* (2014), *I, Daniel Blake* (2016), *Sorry We Missed You* (2019) and *The Old Oak* (2023). For *Sweet Sixteen* he won the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Screenplay. *I, Daniel Blake* won the Palme d'Or at Cannes and the BAFTA Award for Outstanding British Film.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, metacritic.com.*

## On Fi1m (4)

### Performed in (1)

- *Land and Freedom* (1995), Fi1m 83, as Militia member — [page](https://film.one/film/land-and-freedom.md)

### Wrote (3) — the average rests on these

- *The Old Oak* (2023), Fi1m 65, Screenplay — [page](https://film.one/film/the-old-oak.md)
- *Sorry We Missed You* (2019), Fi1m 82, Writer — [page](https://film.one/film/sorry-we-missed-you.md)
- *I, Daniel Blake* (2016), Fi1m 82, Screenplay — [page](https://film.one/film/i-daniel-blake.md)

## Complete filmography (22)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *The Old Oak* (2023), Screenplay — Fi1m 65, [page](https://film.one/film/the-old-oak.md)
- *Sorry We Missed You* (2019), Writer — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/sorry-we-missed-you.md)
- *Yuli* (2018), Writer
- *I, Daniel Blake* (2016), Screenplay — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/i-daniel-blake.md)
- *The Olive Tree* (2016), Screenplay
- *Jimmy's Hall* (2014), Writer
- *The Angels' Share* (2012), Screenplay
- *Route Irish* (2011), Writer
- *Even the Rain* (2011), Screenplay
- *Looking for Eric* (2009), Screenplay
- *It's a Free World...* (2007), Screenplay
- *The Wind That Shakes the Barley* (2006), Screenplay
- *Cargo* (2006), Writer
- *Carry On Ken* (2006), Actor
- *Tickets* (2005), Screenplay
- *Ae Fond Kiss...* (2004), Screenplay
- *Sweet Sixteen* (2002), Screenplay
- *September 11* (2002), Writer
- *Bread and Roses* (2000), Writer
- *My Name Is Joe* (1998), Screenplay
- *Carla's Song* (1996), Screenplay
- *Land and Freedom* (1995), as Militia member — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/film/land-and-freedom.md)

## Gallery

- ![CANNES, FRANCE - MAY 12: Jury Members Demi Moore, Isaach de Bankolé, Laura Wandel, Stellan Skarsgård, Chloé Zhao, Jury President Park Chan-wook, Ruth Negga, Die (2026)](https://film.one/media/person/15812/gallery-1e7b17035429.jpg) CANNES, FRANCE - MAY 12: Jury Members Demi Moore, Isaach de Bankolé, Laura Wandel, Stellan Skarsgård, Chloé Zhao, Jury President Park Chan-wook, Ruth Negga, Die (2026) — YantsImages, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0e/Jury_of_the_2026_Cannes_Film_Festival_by_YantsImages_01.jpg/1280px-Jury_of_the_2026_Cannes_Film_Festival_by_YantsImages_01.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![CANNES, FRANCE - MAY 12: Jury Members Demi Moore, Isaach de Bankolé, Laura Wandel, Stellan Skarsgård, Chloé Zhao, Jury President Park Chan-wook, Ruth Negga, Die (2026)](https://film.one/media/person/15812/gallery-d696bbb54c67.jpg) CANNES, FRANCE - MAY 12: Jury Members Demi Moore, Isaach de Bankolé, Laura Wandel, Stellan Skarsgård, Chloé Zhao, Jury President Park Chan-wook, Ruth Negga, Die (2026) — YantsImages, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7e/Jury_of_the_2026_Cannes_Film_Festival_by_YantsImages_02.jpg/1280px-Jury_of_the_2026_Cannes_Film_Festival_by_YantsImages_02.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Ken Loach and Paul Laverty at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival 2026](https://film.one/media/person/15812/gallery-55eb83a8f3fc.jpg) Ken Loach and Paul Laverty at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival 2026 — Elyot Boudart, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9e/Ken_Loach_and_Paul_Laverty_at_the_2026_Cannes_Film_Festival_2026.jpg/1280px-Ken_Loach_and_Paul_Laverty_at_the_2026_Cannes_Film_Festival_2026.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Paul Laverty, Drehbuchautor, nach der Aufführung seines Films "Tambien la lluvia" am 15. Februar 2011 auf der Berlinale](https://film.one/media/person/15812/gallery-fb4446e90c79.jpg) Paul Laverty, Drehbuchautor, nach der Aufführung seines Films "Tambien la lluvia" am 15. Februar 2011 auf der Berlinale — Julius1990, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f4/Paul_Laverty.JPG/1280px-Paul_Laverty.JPG?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Paul Laverty](https://film.one/media/person/15812/gallery-160e9ab8cd05.jpg) Paul Laverty — JTOB303, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3a/Paul_Laverty_006.jpg/1280px-Paul_Laverty_006.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)

## Awards

### Other awards — 1 won, 6 nominated

- European Film Award for Best Film 2016: European Film Award for Best Film (nominated), for *I, Daniel Blake*
- European Film Award for Best Screenwriter 2016: European Film Award for Best Screenwriter (nominated), for *I, Daniel Blake*
- European Film Award – People's Choice Award for Best European Film 2011: European Film Award – People's Choice Award for Best European Film (nominated), for *Even the Rain*
- European Film Award for Best Screenwriter 2006: European Film Award for Best Screenwriter (nominated), for *The Wind That Shakes the Barley*
- European Film Award for Best Screenwriter 2004: European Film Award for Best Screenwriter (nominated), for *Ae Fond Kiss...*
- Best Screenplay Award 2002: Best Screenplay Award (won)
- European Film Award for Best Screenwriter 2002: European Film Award for Best Screenwriter (nominated), for *Sweet Sixteen*

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/paul-laverty