BAFTA’s choices of nine top films from four countries is part of the organization’s international expansion and marked inclusion efforts.
LOS ANGELES -- The British Academy of Film and Television Arts has announced the nine finalists for the 2017 BAFTA Student Film Awards. Following the recent international expansion of the Awards, this year’s finalists have been selected from over 400 submissions by students at film schools in 15 countries across the world, including Argentina, Austria, Canada, China, Germany, India, Israel, Lebanon, South Africa and the United Kingdom.
These finalists were chosen from within the previously announced 45 shortlisted films.
BAFTA has also announced animation studio LAIKA’s official sponsorship of the first ever BAFTA Student Film Award for Animation. Other sponsors for the event include presenting sponsor Bank Leumi USA, AKA and AFEX.
Select film schools worldwide were invited to submit up to nine films for consideration for four top prizes: the BAFTA Student Film Award for Animation presented by LAIKA, the Student Film Award for Documentary, the Student Film Award for Live Action Film, and the Special Jury Prize, selected by the event’s panel members.
BAFTA’s Student Film Awards competition was expanded this year as part of BAFTA’s growing international footprint, which seeks to foster strong talent connections across the globe. The expansion also furthers BAFTA Los Angeles’ work within its newly launched Access for All campaign, a commitment to ensuring that talented individuals are offered a clear path to careers in the entertainment industry, uninhibited by background, demographics or personal circumstance. The campaign will drive funds towards BAFTA Los Angeles’ acclaimed scholarship, education and community initiatives, allowing the organization to discover and nurture talented professionals.
The 2017 Student Film Awards finalists are:
FOR ANIMATION
Adam
Directed by: Evelyn Jane Ross, Rhode Island School of Design
Course of Study: Film/Animation/Video
Once Upon a Line
Directed by: Alicja Jasina, USC
Course of Study: Animation and Digital Arts
The Wishgranter
Directed by: Kal Athannassov, John McDonald and Echo Wu, Ringling College
Courses of Study: Computer Animation, Animation, Computer Animation
FOR DOCUMENTARY
4.1 Miles
Directed by: Daphne Matziaraki, UC Berkeley
Course of Study: Journalism/Documentary
The Female Voice
Julia dos Santos of Goldsmiths, University of London
Media and Communications
Living Behind Numbers
Directed by: Martin Read, University of South Wales
Course of Study: Documentary Film and Television
FOR LIVE ACTION
Dekalb Element
Directed by: Reed Van Dyk, UCLA
Course of Study: Directing
F**KING Drama
Directed by: Michael Podogil, Filmakademie Wien
Course of Study: Directing
Nocturne in Black
Directed by: Jimmy Keyrouz, Columbia University
Course of Study: Screenwriting/Directing
A gala ceremony will take place on Thursday, June 22, 2017 at The Theatre at Ace Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles. Special Jury members will be announced in the coming weeks. Tickets for the event are now available.
In 2016, the BAFTA US Student Film Award, as it was previously called, was presented to Clara Roquet from Columbia University for El Adiós and the Special Jury Prize was awarded to Seth Boyden from California Institute for the Arts for An Object At Rest. The panel of Hollywood luminaries included BAFTA nominee Yann Demange (‘71), BAFTA and Academy Award winner Pete Docter (Inside Out), The Hollywood Reporter Film Critic and Editor Jon Frosch, BAFTA and Academy Award-winner William Goldenberg (Argo, The Imitation Game), actress Ashley Madekwe (Salem, Revenge) and STX Entertainment President Sophie Watts. The finalists were selected from 245 films submitted by 56 schools across the US.
Source: BAFTA
