Jez Freedman

In Memory

In memory of Jez Freedman

jez freedman

Jez Freedman started using his Hebrew name, Yehudah, which comes from the word Hoda’ah - to give thanks – after the birth of his first daughter in early 2013. The blessings continued that year as Yehudah Jez made his first short film, The Funeral, and saw his first feature film, Dough, shoot in London and Budapest.

He sadly passed to vascular EDS on 6th April 2015 aged just 36.

Prior to this Yehudah Jez studied at the London College of Communication (formerly Printing), graduating with an MA in Screenwriting from the University of Arts London.

He has been twice short-listed for Tony Jordan’s Red Planet Prize and won the International Emmy Sir Peter Ustinov Award for his television drama script ‘The Storyteller’.

Yehudah Jez was later appointed Head of Development of Viva Films and, as well as running EoM Films, he continued to work on Viva’s slate of projects, as well as scouting for new scripts, writers and novels for adaptation.

“I sit on both sides of the desk. So when I’m working for Viva, I’m a development person. I’m a gate keeper. It’s a bit odd, having spent so long knocking on those doors. So I always keep in mind what that’s like. I’ll try to be honest and constructive. At the end of the day I’m looking for projects for my boss, John Goldschmidt. And you might be my first cousin once removed, but if I know the project isn’t going to be for him, there’s no point taking it on.

But if that’s the case I’ll still try and help if I can because writing can be a lonely business. And I’m still knocking on my own doors. That never stops. Story ideas will just pop up from time to time. I’m not particularly an ideas man. I don’t have a drawer full of ideas. But I think the ones I do have are good ones, and I try to focus my time and energy on them. I’m sure it’s no coincidence that my first two films both come from my Jewish identity”.

Below is Jez's film, The Funeral