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Michael Winterbottom

Michael Winterbottom

Director, writer and producer, also editor · Born March 29, 1961 (65) · Blackburn, Lancashire, England, UK

Michael Winterbottom is a prolific English filmmaker who has directed seventeen feature films in the past fifteen years. He began his career working in British television before moving into features. Three of his films — Welcome to Sarajevo, Wonderland and 24 Hour Party People — have been nominated for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
March 29, 1961 (65)
From
Blackburn, Lancashire, England, UK
Works as
Director, writer and producer, also editor
Titles
38 on MovieCove · 62 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 37 days to Oct 26Down 21% in 30 days

What are Michael Winterbottom's films like?

Across their 34 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Power.

Genres

Drama14 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 51st percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 68th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Biography3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 67th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Crime3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 42nd percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 45th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Documentary2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 82nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary 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
Bonds
24%
Power
18%
Self
16%
Survival
16%
Ideas
10%
Society
10%
Morality
8%
Romantic love6 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds5 titles, browse their movies with this themeObsession4 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief6 titles, browse their movies with this themeClass5 titles, browse their movies with this themeArt3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 33 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 10 · Serious 11 · Dark 12

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

Grounded 21 · Stylized 11 · Heightened 1

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

Gentle 12 · Charged 13 · Intense 8

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

Steady 19 · Shifting 11 · Whiplash 3

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 20 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 8

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 16 · Even-paced 16 · Relentless 1

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

Casual 9 · Engaged 21 · Full focus 3

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 12 · Affecting 7 · Heavy 14

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

A split, not a type: Resolved 19 · Open-ended 10 · Ambiguous 4

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Melancholic
20
Tense
16
Contemplative
15
Bittersweet
11
Joyful
7
Other
25

How their films linger

Bittersweet14 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Bittersweet18
  • Tragic8
  • Ambiguous7
  • Cyclical1

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 Michael Winterbottom's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 24 of their 38 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on AMC+ (10).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Michael Winterbottom's 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

62 credits, 38 with a MovieCove page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Shoshana(2023)

    Director · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • This England(2022)

    Show 6 episodes · Director · Creator · Writer

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all shows

  • Eleven Days in May (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Director · Editor · Producer

  • Isolation (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Director · Writer

  • The Trip to Greece(2020)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Greed(2019)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • The Wedding Guest(2018)

    Director · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • The Trip to Spain(2017)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • On the Road (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Director

  • The Emperor's New Clothes(2015)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • The Face of an Angel(2014)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • The Trip to Italy(2014)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Hello Carter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Executive Producer

  • The Look of Love(2013)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Everyday(2012)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Trishna(2011)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • The Trip(2010)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • 60 Seconds of Solitude in Year Zero(2011)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • The Trip(2010)

    Show 24 episodes · Director · Creator · Producer

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • The Killer Inside Me(2010)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • The Shock Doctrine(2009)

    Director · Editor

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • A Summer in Genoa(2008)

    Director · Editor · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • A Mighty Heart(2007)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Snow Cake(2006)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • The Road to Guantanamo(2006)

    Director · Editor · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Tristram Shandy(2005)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Top Spot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Executive Producer

  • 9 Songs(2004)

    Director · Editor · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Bright Young Things(2003)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Code 46(2003)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Heartlands(2002)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • In This World (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Director

  • 24 Hour Party People(2002)

    Director · Editor

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • The Claim(2000)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • With or Without You(1999)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Wonderland(1999)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • I Want You(1998)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Resurrection Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Executive Producer

  • Welcome to Sarajevo(1997)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Jude(1996)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Cinema Europe: The Other Hollywood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Go Now(1995)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Butterfly Kiss(1995)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Family (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Director

  • Family (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 4 episodes · Director

  • Cracker(1993)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • Love Lies Bleeding (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Director

  • Alleyn Mysteries(1990)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows

  • Under the Sun (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Director · Story

  • Time Riders (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Show 4 episodes · Director

  • Shrinks (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Forget About Me (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Director

  • Rosie the Great (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Director

  • Ingmar Bergman: The Magic Lantern (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Director

  • ScreenPlay (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Boon(1986)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all shows

  • Screen Two (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 1 episode · Director · Writer

  • Dramarama (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • The English Programme (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

  • A Farewell to Arms (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director · Executive Producer · Writer

  • Gaza Year Zero (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director · Producer

  • True Stories (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Show 1 episode · Director

Career shape

A full career of 61 titles, 58 of them dated from 1976 to 2024.

Biggest box office

A Mighty Heart (2007)

$19M worldwide

Highest rated

24 Hour Party People (2002)

Midcredits 91st

Most popular right now

9 Songs (2004)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Directing55 of 61: 34 only directing, 21 with another role · typical Midcredits score63rdWriting18 of 61: 0 only writing, 18 with another role · typical Midcredits score47thProducing15 of 61: 6 only producing, 9 with another role · typical Midcredits score56thEditing4 of 61: 0 only editing, 4 with another roleOther crew2 of 61: 0 only other crew, 2 with another role

61 titles, 21 with more than one role — directing and writing overlap on 18 of them.

By decade

1970s1 · crew1980s6 · crew1990s18 · crew2000s14 · crew2010s14 · crew2020s5 · 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.

How do Michael Winterbottom's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 63rd percentile, the median of all 33; across their 33 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 60th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

60thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 33

Approval · how many liked their films

63rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 33

Reach · how many have seen their films

83rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 33

Midcredits score across 38 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up11
  • 50th to 74th12
  • 25th to 49th11
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

17 of their 38 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Divisive1
  • Crowd Pleaser17
  • Broadly Agreed5
  • Mixed11

Most divisive · director

60 Seconds of Solitude in Year Zero (2011)

90th percentile spread · 35% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director, editor

24 Hour Party People (2002)

Midcredits 91st · 79% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 70/100 and the pacing 41/100 in their films, across 31 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.

Is Michael Winterbottom's work okay for kids?

Across up to 15 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity, profanity, alcohol & drugs and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore7 titles12–88 · median 49 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity15 titles21–78 · median 63 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity7 titles30–83 · median 60 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs7 titles42–87 · median 55 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense7 titles21–87 · median 51 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Michael Winterbottom work with?

People who share at least 2 of Michael Winterbottom's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Andrew Eaton shares the most, 26.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers