Bart Layton

Biography

Bart Layton is a British director, producer, and screenwriter best known for his work in documentary and narrative filmmaking that blurs the line between fact and fiction. He was born in 1975 in the United Kingdom. Layton studied art and filmmaking, and he built his early career directing documentaries for television before transitioning to feature-length films. Known for his investigative style and bold visual storytelling, Layton has carved a distinctive path in contemporary cinema.

Career Beginnings

Layton started his career in British television, where he created and directed several documentary series. One of his early breakthroughs was the Channel 4 series Banged Up Abroad (also known as Locked Up Abroad), which dramatized real-life stories of people imprisoned in foreign countries. This series helped him develop his signature hybrid style, combining interviews with dramatic reenactments.

Breakthrough: The Imposter (2012)

Layton gained international acclaim with his debut feature documentary The Imposter (2012). The film tells the unbelievable true story of Frédéric Bourdin, a French con artist who impersonated a missing Texas teenager. Lauded for its gripping narrative and cinematic reenactments, The Imposter won several awards, including the BAFTA for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director, or Producer. It also became a standout in the true-crime documentary genre.

Narrative Filmmaking: American Animals (2018)

In 2018, Layton made his narrative feature debut with American Animals, a unique heist film based on a true story. Blending scripted drama with interviews of the real people involved, the film chronicles a failed art theft by four college students in Kentucky. Starring Evan Peters and Barry Keoghan, the film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and was widely praised for its innovation and emotional depth. It solidified Layton's reputation as a filmmaker who defies genre conventions.