Number 9 Films
British production company founded by Stephen Woolley and Elizabeth Karlsen, behind Carol, Their Finest, and Made in Dagenham. One of the UK's most awarded mid-budget producers.
Overview
Number 9 Films is a British independent production company founded by producer Stephen Woolley and Elizabeth Karlsen in 2002. The company has built a strong reputation for producing intelligent, character-driven British films that compete at the highest levels of the international awards circuit. Number 9 Films consistently works with acclaimed directors and produces across a range of genres with an emphasis on female-centred stories and social themes.
The company operates from London and develops projects through literary adaptations, original screenplays, and long-term relationships with directors and writers.
History
Stephen Woolley's producing career stretches back to the 1980s with Palace Pictures, where he produced The Company of Wolves (1984), Mona Lisa (1986), Scandal (1989), and The Crying Game (1992). Elizabeth Karlsen joined as a producing partner, and together they established Number 9 Films as a successor to their earlier work.
Key Number 9 Films productions include Mrs Henderson Presents (2005), Breakfast on Pluto (2005), Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (2008), Made in Dagenham (2010), Their Finest (2016), and most significantly Carol (2015), Todd Haynes's adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's novel that earned six Academy Award nominations and won the Palme d'Or's Special Jury Prize at Cannes. The film received particular recognition for Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara's performances and for Edward Lachman's cinematography.
Number 9 Films has a particular track record with female-led stories and with films that recover overlooked historical narratives, a creative identity that distinguishes it within the broader UK production landscape.
What Filmmakers Should Know
Number 9 Films develops projects that align with its identity as a producer of quality, character-driven British cinema. The company is particularly receptive to literary adaptations and original scripts with strong female protagonists or social historical themes. Access routes through agents, literary agents representing source material, and direct relationships with the company's development team.
See Also
For understanding how British independent production works, see Distribution Deals Explained. To model revenue projections, use the Revenue Forecast Calculator.
