Lenny Abrahamson was born in Dublin in 1966. He studied physics and philosophy at Trinity College Dublin. While at university he directed short videos with the Trinity Video Society, which he co-founded with Ed Guiney. He graduated in 1991 with first class honours (gold medal). His first short film, 3 Joes, won the Best European Short Film Award at the 1991 Cork Film Festival and the Organiser's Award at the 1992 Oberhausen Short Film Festival. He directed numerous commercials for television in Ireland, the UK and worldwide before taking the helm on his first feature film, Adam & Paul, a stylized downbeat comedy written by Mark O'Halloran and released in 2004. Adam and Paul won the Best First Feature award at the 2004 Galway Film Fleadh and the Grand Prix at the 2005 Sofia International Film Festival. His second feature film, Garage, another collaboration with writer Mark O' Halloran, was selected for Director's Fortnight at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival and won the CICAE Art and Essai award . The film also won the award s for Best Film, Best Director, Best Script and Best Actor at the 2008 Irish Film and Television Award s (IFTAs). Lenny has also directed for television: his four one-hour TV films for RTE, Prosperity, also won the Best Director for TV award 2008 Irish Film and Television Award s. What Richard Did, his third feature, was released in 2012 to critical acclaim. The film, written by Malcolm Campbell, presents a stark portrait of a privileged Dublin teen whose world unravels with one summer night. What Richard Did premiered at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival and was also selected for the 2012 BFI London Film Festival. Lenny's fourth feature, Frank, a comedy about a young wannabe musician starring Michael Fassbender and Domhnall Gleeson, will be shooting in Winter 2012.

After graduating from college, he was torn between his love for film and Philosophy. He did both by making 16mm films and studying at Stanford University in California in 1991.He gradutaed from Trinity College Dublin, with a first class honours degree in Philosophy.It was through Commercial producer Jonny Speers that Lenny met 'Mark O'Halloran' who had just started work on Adam and Paul. They worked closely together as O'Halloran wrote the script and the film finally began shooting in late 2003.One of the short 16 mm films he made was called 3 Joes (1991). It went on to win the Best European Short award at the Cork film festival, the Audience Award at the Galway film fleadh and the Organiser's Award at the Oberhausen short film festival.