Barnaby Southcombe studied French and History of Art at University College London where he became involved in theatre. Upon graduation he directed an adaptation of Harold Pinter's 'Betrayal' at the Studio des Champs Elysées in Paris.
He then participated in the NYU S.C.E film program where he wrote and directed his first short films which led to him working for Film and TV company Communicado in Auckland, New Zealand. Subsequently moving back to London he moved into music video and commercials production before getting his directing break in TV drama with cult teen show 'As If' for Channel 4. He subsequently directed 'Teachers' also for Channel 4, launched MTV's first foray into fiction with the dope opera: 'Top Buzzer' and directed the pilot episode for 'Waterloo Road', an award-winning peak time drama for BBC1, amongst several other shows.
Barnaby wrote and directed his first feature film 'I, Anna' starring Charlotte Rampling, Gabriel Byrne, Hayley Atwell and Eddie Marsan which premiered at the Berlin Film Festival in 2012. It is a noir thriller adapted from the novel of the same name by Elsa Lewin. It received the audience award at Vancouver, was in Official competition in Shanghai Film Festival and received a Best Actress Nomination for Charlotte Rampling at the Evening Standard British Film Awards.
Barnaby is a founding partner of Embargo Films and has produced several films under this banner including I, Anna, The Sweeney, Pusher, Still Life and Me and Me Dad.
Bryan Southcombe was a New Zealand born publicist who ran a successful PR company in Soho, London in the 60's & 70's when he met and married actress Charlotte Rampling and they had one child, Barnaby.
Barnaby's step-father is Jean Michel Jarre, the French musician who was married to Charlotte Rampling for over 20 years. Jean Michel Jarre's father was Maurice Jarre, the Hollywood composer. Barnaby has a brother David Jarre a musician and magician and a half sister Emilie Jarre.
