Tommy Collins, sometimes referred to as Tom Collins M.A.(Hons), Dublin City University, is an Irish filmmaker.
Born in County Donegal, he moved as a child to nearby Derry, Northern Ireland. His works include Hush-a-Bye Baby (1989) (producer) with Sinead O Conner and Emer McCourt, The Bishop's Story (1994) (co-producer) with Donal Mc Cann, Bogwoman (1997) (director) with Rachael Dowling and Peter Mullan, and Dead Long Enough (2006) (director) with Michael Sheen.
Collins is also known for being photographer on the controversial documentary Mother Ireland (1986), which won a Femme Cathodique Cinamatography award.
He also wrote and directed Teenage Kicks - The Undertones (2006), a widely acclaimed 'rockumentary' on the Derry band The Undertones. The film was presented by the late John Peel. The film received a five-star review from the Times of London.
He has produced or directed 13 documentaries including More than a Sacrifice, (1996) First Love, (1997) Cambat D'une Mere, (1998) A Mother's Story, (1999) The Johnie Walker Story plus Donal Mc Cann - It Must Be Done Right.(2000). He directed The Boys of St Columb's, a documentary for BBC and RTÉ in 2009.
In 2007 his film Kings, which tells the story of a group of young men who left the west of Ireland in 1977 for London, was entered as Ireland's choice for Oscar nomination. Kings was placed in the Best Foreign Language Film category as it was filmed in native Irish. The film stars prominent Irish talent such as Colm Meaney, Brendan Conroy, Donal O'Kelly, Donnacha Crowley and Sean O'Tarpaigh.
Collins won the Director's Guild of America / Ireland New Finders Award in 2007.
Kings was nominated for a record 14 Irish Film and Television Awards in 2008; won the Gold Torc at the 2008 Celtic Film and Media Awards; picked up a Special Commendation at Prix Europa Best Drama 2008; won Best Cinematography Award at the Hamptons Film Festival 2007; was awarded Best Film at the Weschester Film Festival 2007 and was awarded Special Commendation Foyle Film Festival 2007.
He is presently developing a documentary on the British Education Act of 1947. An Act of the British parliament which led to free secondary education in Northern Ireland. The film will be called The Boys of St Columb's and will feature Seamus Heaney, Seamus Deane and John Hume.
Collins is presently adapting the Flann O Brien novel An Beal Bocht as a screenplay for Northern Ireland Screen and TG4.