| Ras (Erasmus) Barker | |
|---|---|
| Born | Erasmus Barker Hampstead, London, England |
| Residence | Buckinghamshire |
| Years active | 2000–present |
| Spouse | Alison Ruffelle |
| Parents | Clive Barker (artist) |
| Website | |
| Ras Barker website | |
Ras Barker is an English actor, producer, editor, and writer. Ras was born in Hampstead, north west London. The son of artists Clive Barker and Rosemary Bruen, he spent his childhood between London and the Malvern Hills in Worcestershire.
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Against his bohemian upbringing he trained as an accountant but later also trained as an actor. He has appeared in a number of TV programmes and feature films, including the film Stoned in 2005 and long running TV series such as Londons Burning, The Bill and most recently Eastenders in 2010.
As well as acting, through his production company, Extra Digit, he has written and produced short films, including the award winning Life is a Circus, which he wrote and produced, and Somewhere, which also featured ex Stranglers front man, Hugh Cornwell,[1] which Ras commissioned.
Life is a Circus, 2004
According to Ras, he wrote Life is a Circus as "an ode to his first true love, his 'lost love' and the town, Malvern, Worcestershire ", where he went to school.
Life is a Circus was first shown in the US at the Hypefest International Film Festival, LA where it received a standing ovation. In 2004, Life is a Circus won the Dragon*Con Best Magic Realism Film Award and it was also nominated for the Time Out Best London Film Award the same year. It was televised on the Performance Channel in the UK in 2007.
It has been shown at over 60 festivals worldwide, including:
Century City Film Festival, LA, USA Damah Film Festival, LA ION International Short Film Festival, LA Cinema Paradise Film Festival, Hawaii, USA Dead Center International Film Festival, Oklahoma, USA The Oxford Film Festival, Oxford, USA Da Vinci Film and Video Festival, Oregon, USA Ohio Independent Film Festival, Ohio Forest Film Festival, Oregon The Rebelfest Film Festival, Toronto, Canada VideoTheatre, NYC
Somewhere, 2005
Being a Stranglers fan from an early age, (Ras credits this to growing up with an elder brother), he commissioned Somewhere 2005 to fulfil his dream of working with Hugh Cornwell. Somewhere was written and directed by Ras's friend, ex playschool presenter, Ben Thomas.
Somewhere opened the Brighton International Film Festival in 2005
It has also been shown at:
DeadCenter Film Festival, Oklahoma Ohio International Film Festival
Ras is married to Alison Ruffelle, the daughter of Sylvia Young and the younger sister of Frances Ruffelle. They have a daughter together, Coral Barker.
Ras's nieces and nephews by marriage include singer Eliza Doolittle (singer).[2]