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Mark Cousins

Mark Cousins

Director, writer, actor and cinematographer, also producer · Born May 3, 1965 (61) · Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK

Cannes award winner · Venice award nominee · Berlinale award winner

Mark Cousins is an Irish documentary filmmaker, film critic and programmer. A prolific producer and director, he is best known for his 15-hour documentary The Story of Film: An Odyssey" (2011). Cousins was appointed Honorary Professor of the University of Glasgow in 2013, as well as Honorary Doctor of Letters at both the University of Edinburgh in 2007 and University of Stirling in 2014. He is now a Patron of the Edinburgh International Film Festival, Cousins previously acted as both a programmer and director (1996-1997) of the festival. He is a Board Member of Michael Moore's Traverse City Film Festival and a Member of the Audentia Award jury at the 42nd Göteborg International Film Festival (GIFF) in 2019, as well as Member of the Official Competition jury at the 53rd Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in 2018. In 2021, Cousins joined the jury of the BFI London Film Festival.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
May 3, 1965 (61)
From
Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
Works as
Director, writer, actor and cinematographer, also producer
Titles
10 on MovieCove · 54 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 157 days to Oct 28Down 2% in 30 days

What are Mark Cousins' films like?

Across their 11 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Ideas and Society.

Genres

Documentary8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 67th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Drama2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 53rd percentile
: browse their Drama movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Ideas
43%
Society
34%
Morality
9%
Self
6%
Survival
5%
Power
3%
Art8 titles, browse their movies with this themeLegacy6 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 10 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 7 · Serious 2 · Dark 1

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 4 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 1

Gentle: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their gentle movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 8 · Charged 1 · Intense 1

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 8 · Shifting 1 · Whiplash 1

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 10 · Some laughs 0 · Funny 0

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 9 · Even-paced 1 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 5 · Engaged 5 · Full focus 0

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 4 · Open-ended 5 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

1 analyzed role

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Contemplative
9
Warm
4
Melancholic
4
Hopeful
3
Cold
2
Other
3

How their films linger

Thought-provoking8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy2
  • Bittersweet3
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous3
  • Cyclical2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Mark Cousins' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 6 of their 10 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Mark Cousins' titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

54 credits, 10 with a MovieCove page; 8 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Hearth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Director

  • A Sudden Glimpse to Deeper Things (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Director · Cinematographer · Screenplay · as Self

  • Cinema Has Been My True Love: The Work and Times of Lynda Myles (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Director

  • The Complete Story of Film (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Director · as Narrator

  • My Name Is Alfred Hitchcock(2022)

    Director · Writer · as Self (voice)

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • The March on Rome (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Director · Cinematographer · Screenstory · Writer · as Self - Narrator (voice)

  • The Ballad of a Great Disordered Heart (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Creator

  • The Story of Film: A New Generation(2021)

    Director · Cinematographer · Writer · as Narrator

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • The Storms of Jeremy Thomas(2021)

    Director · Cinematographer · Writer · as Self

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • The Story of Looking (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Director · Book · Screenplay · as Self

  • Dear Paul Schrader, Thank You for Light Sleeper (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Director

  • Women Make Film: A New Road Movie Through Cinema (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Show 14 episodes · Director · Creator · Writer

  • 40 Days to Learn Film (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Director · Editor · Writer · as Self - Narrator (voice)

  • Alexander's Film (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Director

  • You With Your Fresh Thoughts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Director

  • The Eyes of Orson Welles(2018)

    Director · Cinematographer · Writer · as Self - Filmmaker / Narrator (voice)

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • The Dream Palace: A People's History of Tyneside Cinema (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Actor

  • Storm in My Heart (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Director

  • Stockholm, My Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Director · Cinematographer · Screenplay · Writer

  • Antonia Bird: From EastEnders to Hollywood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Executive Producer · as Self

  • I Am Belfast(2015)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Eisenstein on Lawrence (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Director · Writer

  • Bigger Than The Shining (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Director

  • Your Eyes Flash Solemnly with Hate (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Director · Writer

  • Atomic: Living in Dread and Promise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Director

  • 6 Desires (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Director · Cinematographer · Writer

  • The Film That Buys the Cinema(2014)

    Director · Actor

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Place (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Director · Writer

  • Life May Be (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Director · Writer · as Self

  • But Then Again, Too Few to Mention (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Director

  • Apollo: First War Cinema (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Writer

  • Here Be Dragons (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Director · Writer · as Self

  • A Story of Children and Film (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Director · Writer · as Himself - Narrator (voice)

  • What Is This Film Called Love? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Director · Writer

  • 60 Seconds of Solitude in Year Zero(2011)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • The Story of Film: An Odyssey(2011)

    Show 15 episodes · Director · Cinematographer · Creator · Writer · as Presenter / Narrator

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • The First Movie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Director · Cinematographer · Writer · as Self – Documentarist

  • First Impressions (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Director · Writer

  • The New Ten Commandments (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Director · as Self

  • Cinema Iran (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Director · as Narrator

  • On the Road with Kiarostami (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Director

  • Faith(2005)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Atomists (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Executive Producer

  • Pulp Fact (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Director

  • Scene by Scene (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 24 episodes · Director · Creator · Writer · as Self - Presenter

  • I Remember IKWIG (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Director

  • Ian Hamilton Finlay: In a Wee Way (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Director

  • I Know Where I'm Going! Revisited(1994)

    Director · as Self - Interviewer

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Another Journey By Train (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Director · Producer

  • Gulf War: Scottish Eye (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Director

  • Dear Mr Gorbachev (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Assistant Director

  • Viewpoint '90 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Show 1 episode · Assistant Director

  • Moviedrome (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Show 84 episodes · Creator · Writer · Actor

  • The Story of Documentary Film (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Show 4 episodes · Director · Creator

Career shape

A full career of 54 titles, 53 of them dated from 1988 to 2024.

Biggest box office

The Eyes of Orson Welles (2018)

$68K worldwide

Highest rated

The Story of Film: An Odyssey (2011)

Midcredits 92nd

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting7 of 54: 1 only acting, 6 with another roleDirecting45 of 54: 17 only directing, 28 with another role · typical Midcredits score68thWriting24 of 54: 1 only writing, 23 with another role · typical Midcredits score68thProducing4 of 54: 3 only producing, 1 with another roleCinematography7 of 54: 0 only cinematography, 7 with another roleEditing1 of 54: 0 only editing, 1 with another roleOther crew8 of 54: 3 only other crew, 5 with another role

54 titles, 29 with more than one role — directing and writing overlap on 22 of them.

By decade

1980s1 · 1 acting · 1 crew1990s9 · crew2000s7 · 1 acting · 7 crew2010s22 · 3 acting · 21 crew2020s14 · 2 acting · 14 crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

Awards

2 major awards from 7 major nominations, 2009–2026.

WinNomination
  1. 2026
    • Cannes award, nominated · Documentary Prize
  2. 2021
    • Cannes award, nominated ×2
  3. 2018
    • Cannes award, won
    • Cannes award, nominated
    • Venice award, nominated · Best Documentary on Cinema
  4. 2009
    • Berlinale award, won

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Mark Cousins' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 68th percentile, the median of all 9; across their 10 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 69th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

69thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Approval · how many liked their films

64thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Reach · how many have seen their films

42ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Midcredits score across 10 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up4
  • 50th to 74th4
  • 25th to 49th1
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

4 of their 10 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Divisive2
  • Crowd Pleaser4
  • Mixed3

Most divisive · actor, director

The Film That Buys the Cinema (2014)

96th percentile spread · 38% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor, director, writer, cinematographer

The Story of Film: An Odyssey (2011)

Midcredits 92nd · 87% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 64/100 and the pacing 34/100 in their films, across 5 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Mark Cousins work with?

People who share at least 2 of Mark Cousins' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Timo Langer shares the most, 5.

Composers and editors

Producers