We are Suzannah Wander and Esther McWatters. We met as filmmakers, became friends, and in 2025 founded Two Friends Films.
Our careers have taken us from Panorama to the South Bank Show, from BBC Current Affairs to Sky Arts. We have sat across from artists, politicians, survivors and storytellers. We have spent our working lives learning how to ask the right question, earn trust, and help people say what matters most.
We started Two Friends Films because we saw those same skills were needed somewhere we had not expected: in the rooms where older people live, and in the moments before their stories become harder to tell. We bring broadcast-level craft, calm interviewing and careful editorial judgment to every film we make.
The name Two Friends Films speaks not only to our long friendship, but to the feeling we hope each film creates: something relaxed, natural and unforced — more like two friends talking together than a formal interview.
We also work closely with Luke Hallam, our cameraman. Luke’s warmth, friendly humour and technical skill are a valued part of every filming day, and of the calm, thoughtful way we work.
About Us
Suzannah Wander
Co-Founder
Suzannah is a documentary filmmaker and executive producer whose career spans the BBC, ITV, Sky Arts and Channel 4. She is best known for her long association with the South Bank Show, where she produced directed films about some of the most celebrated and high profile figures in popular culture, including David Hockney and Helen Mirren.
She has also produced and directed prime time specials for BBC1 and ITV, featuring some of our best-loved stars, including The Spice Girls and ABBA. Her work is distinguished by the warmth, ease and emotional intelligence she brings to her interviews, and by her belief that everyone has an extraordinary story to tell.
Esther McWatters
Co-Founder
Esther began her working life as a care worker before training as a broadcast journalist. She joined BBC Current Affairs, where she worked on Panorama, This World and investigative series for over a decade, becoming a Producer/Director making a wide range of films and programmes.
She then worked as a Development Producer for a number of independent production companies, helping secure commissions for documentary series on BBC Two, CNN and Sky, and Series Producing for BBC Two. Her work has involved interviewing people from all walks of life — from politicians to members of the public — and building trusted relationships with people in complex and sensitive settings.
Before co-founding Two Friends Films, Esther spent three years as Head of Communications and Fundraising at Citizens Advice East Herts.
Why we do this
Between us we have filmed hundreds of interviews. We know what it’s like when someone stops giving you the polished version of their story and starts telling you the real one. It feels like a privilege.
What we noticed — and couldn’t stop thinking about — is that everyone, especially older people, have extraordinary lives behind them and stories to tell.
We created Two Friends Films to give everyone the opportunity to be seen and heard.
How we work
We are documentary filmmakers, not a video production company.
We know how to ask questions that matter and wait for the answers. We know how to sit with silence. We earn the trust of the people we interview because we care. We are professional story tellers who are adept at creating a narrative with emotional and meaning.
We bring that approach to every film we make. Whether it’s a Care Insight film for a care setting or a Legacy Film for a family, we make sure everyone feels valued and important and enjoys the experience.
Where appropriate, we sometimes bring along Esther’s friendly dog, Chippy, who can be a gentle ice-breaker and a reassuring presence for people who like animals.
We are based in Hertfordshire and North London.
Additional Film Projects
Alongside delivering the Care Insight Programme and Legacy Films, we also undertake carefully commissioned short films for care homes, hospices and charitable organisations.
These may include community, recruitment or fundraising films created with the same documentary discipline, sensitivity and respect that informs all of our work.
We accept a limited number of these projects where they align with our values and approach.
Luke Hallam
Director of Photography
Luke is a BAFTA winning cameraman and sound recordist who has filmed contributors at their most vulnerable, challenged or inspiring. He says, “Whether it be recording a genius surgeon saving a life, or filming arguably the most influential artist of the 20th and 21st century, I genuinely feel I have the best job imaginable.”
As well as making each interview or sequence look beautiful, Luke’s friendliness, charm and kindness make his presence an invaluable asset to our team.
We love what we do and enjoy making it a fun and fulfilling experience for everyone we work with.