The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has announced the UK’s most promising future stars of film, television and games. The 2016 Breakthrough Brits, in partnership with Burberry, are 18 talented newcomers selected by a jury of industry experts, and were revealed this evening at a reception at the global Burberry flagship, 121 Regent Street.
The Breakthrough Brits were chosen by a jury of industry experts after a UK-wide open call for applications and nominations. At the reception, hosted by BBC Radio 1 presenter Greg James, actors Rosamund Pike, Jennifer Saunders, Joanne Froggatt and Will Poulter introduced the successful honourees as: producers Ellen Husain and Michael Berliner; actors Florence Pugh, Malachi Kirby and Ruth Madeley; games creative directors Jon McKellan and Matt Hyde; writers Marnie Dickens and Vinay Patel; actor/writers Kayode Ewumi and Tom Davis; writer/director Helen Walsh; editor Rebecca Lloyd; composer Nainita Desai; games artist Alex Grahame; cinematographer Eben Bolter; game developer Tim Wicksteed; and Lead Technical Artist Jodie Azhar. More details about the honourees can be found at: http://bit.ly/BreakthroughBrits16.
During the reception the newly announced Breakthrough Brits mingled with leading figures in the film, television and games industries, including commissioners, agents and game studio heads, as well as well-known creatives and performers. Guests included: Amanda Berry OBE, Chief Executive of BAFTA; Jane Lush, producer and Chair of BAFTA; Barbara Broccoli OBE, BAFTA-winning producer and BAFTA Vice President for Film; BAFTA-winning producers Mark Herbert (This is England, Submarine) and Damian Jones (The Iron Lady, The History Boys); BAFTA-nominated producer Pippa Harris DBE (Call the Midwife, The Hollow Crown); actors Stacy Martin (High-Rise, Nymphomaniac), Jo Hartley (David Brent: Life on the Road, Eddie the Eagle), Alexander Vlahos (Versailles, Merlin) and Max Brown (The Tudors, Beauty & the Beast); and UKIE CEO Jo Twist OBE.
Amanda Berry OBE, Chief Executive of BAFTA, said: “Now in its fourth year, Breakthrough Brits, in partnership with Burberry, is our headline new talent initiative showcasing, celebrating and supporting the next generation of British creative talent in film, television and games. Our 2016 Breakthrough Brits come from a range of backgrounds and represent the variety of specialisms that make up our creative industries. I’m thrilled to see such talented individuals recognised this year.”
BAFTA and Burberry share a vision of celebrating British talent and giving them the tools to develop their skills at the start of their careers, wherever they are in the world. The annual Breakthrough Brits initiative, which was launched in partnership with Burberry in 2013, celebrates and supports the UK’s future stars of film, television and games. Honourees receive one-to-one mentoring, an international travel bursary, guidance sessions and networking opportunities, as well as free access to BAFTA events, for 12 months.
Since the launch of the initiative, previous Breakthrough Brits have gone on to be recognised at BAFTA’s awards ceremonies, including four BAFTA winners: games producer Daniel Gray and game designer Rex Crowle (as part of the development teams for Monument Valley and Tearaway respectively), screenwriter Dominic Mitchell (In The Flesh), and producer Marc Williamson (The Last Chance School).
This year’s initiative is also supported by The Langham London, Audi UK and the British Council.
Full list of BAFTA Breakthrough Brits in 2016:
· Alex Grahame – Games Artist
· Eben Bolter – Cinematographer
· Ellen Husain – Producer
· Florence Pugh – Actress
· Helen Walsh – Writer-Director
· Jodie Azhar – Lead Technical Artist
· Jon McKellan – Creative Director
· Kayode Ewumi – Actor/Writer
· Malachi Kirby – Actor
· Marnie Dickens – Writer
· Matt Hyde – Creative Director
· Michael Berliner – Producer
· Nainita Desai – Composer
· Rebecca Lloyd – Editor
· Ruth Madeley – Actress
· Tim Wicksteed – Game Developer
· Tom Davis – Actor/Writer
· Vinay Patel – Writer
BAFTA Breakthrough Brits jury members:
· Anne Morrison (Jury Chair) – Deputy Chair of BAFTA and former Director of the BBC Academy
· Lee Schuneman (Games Sub-Committee Chair) – Studio Head of Microsoft’s Lift London
· Marc Samuelson (Film and TV Sub-Committee Co-Chair) – Producer, owner of Samuelson Productions and Deputy Chair of BAFTA Film Committee
· Ade Rawcliffe (Film and TV Sub-Committee Co-Chair) – Creative Diversity Manager, Channel 4
· Briony Hanson – Director of Film, British Council
· Joe Dempsie – Actor
· John Willis – Chief Executive of Mentorn Media, Group Creative Director of Tinopolis plc, and former Chair of BAFTA
· Liz Warner – Former Channel 4 Commissioning Editor, and founder of independent production company, betty
· Lucinda Coxon – Writer
· Martin Phipps – Composer
· Mike Bithell – Games designer and developer
· Pat Younge – Managing Director, Sugar Films
· Patrick O'Luanaigh – CEO nDreams
· Phil Harrison – Games developer
· Rosamund Pike – Actress
· Sanjay Singhal – CEO, Voltage Productions
· Sarah Gavron – Director
This year’s Breakthrough Brits were selected with an additional US judging element, with top industry executives from Los Angeles and New York feeding into the final jury process.
For more information about BAFTA Breakthrough Brits, in partnership with Burberry, go to: http://bit.ly/Breakthrough-Brits.
