By the 1960s , he had virtually given up acting to concentrate on a directing career , and another of his earlier directorial efforts , the British Transport Films ' documentary '' Terminus '' ( 1961 ) , gained a Venice Film Festival Gold Lion and a British Academy Award . His first two fiction films , '' A Kind of Loving '' ( 1962 ) and '' Billy Liar '' ( 1963 ) were set in the North of England . '' A Kind of Loving '' won the Golden Bear award at the 12th Berlin International Film Festival in 1962 . His third feature film , '' Darling '' ( 1965 ) , tartly described the modern , urban way of life in London and was one of the first films about ' swinging London ' . Schlesinger 's next film was the period drama '' Far from the Madding Crowd '' ( 1967 ) , an adaptation of Thomas Hardy 's popular novel accentuated by beautiful English country locations . Both films ( and '' Billy Liar '' ) featured Julie Christie as the female lead
12th Berlin International Film Festival
12th Berlin International Film Festival
John Schlesinger