Born in 1993, in Cheltenham, England, and raised in the West Midlands, Calum Rhys is a writer-director who discovered his passion for filmmaking at a young age. At just 11 years old, Rhys began creating short films using his father's camera, marking the beginning of a lifelong journey in the world of cinema. In 2010, he founded the production company Smashing UK Productions, initially as a YouTube channel focused on video blogs and comedic sketches with friends during his time at school in Worcestershire. As Rhys transitioned to university life in Yorkshire, he continued honing his filmmaking skills by shooting short films with friends, including his company's inaugural award-nominated project, the psychological drama The Secret Eye, where he learnt to employ guerrilla filmmaking techniques.

Rhys's breakthrough came with the award-winning short war drama, Our Father, which premiered at the 69th Cannes Film Festival. The film garnered 14 award nominations and 3 wins during its festival run. Following this success, he delved into the development of his next project, Divided We Stand, a World War I drama that became both a BAFTA and BIFA accredited film after its world premiere at the Izmir International Film Festival in Turkey.

Rhys has recently kickstarted development on his latest endeavour, the firefighter drama Brigade.