Description:
Paul Laverty was born in Calcutta, India, to an Irish mother and Scottish father.
He obtained a Philosophy degree at the Gregorian University in Rome. Thereafter he obtained a law degree in Glasgow and went on to do an apprenticeship with two of Scotland's most celebrated lawyers. He became a practising lawyer.
In the mid eighties he travelled to Nicaragua, Central America, and lived there for almost three years. He worked for a Nicaraguan human rights organisation During this time he travelled widely in Guatemala and El Salvador which were both in a state of civil war.
Laverty received the Fullbright Award in 1984 and lived in Los Angeles for 18 months.
After his time in Central America Laverty made contact with the director Ken Loach and since then they have been working in constant collaboration.
Trivia
Partner is actress and director Icíar Bollaín.
Quotes
I'm always reminded of those wonderful words of Woodie Guthrie, who said: All about a human being is, it's a great big hoping machine. I think when you think back to times when things have been more difficult than ours, you know black slaves or when people got the vote for the first time... trade unions being ripped apart and lynched. I think there are the possibilities now of great progress. Fifteen years ago people who talked about global warming were seen as cranks and idiots. So I don't think anything is inevitable. I think it depends on us making decisions and organizing. I think we have to be massively creative and look for opportunities and work together. If we lose faith on that notion of collective effort I think we are sunk.
