19 February 2024
Newsdesk
The BFI Future Film Festival 2024 came to a close this evening, with the winners of the BFI Future Film Festival Awards announced online and in person at BFI Southbank. The talented young filmmakers aged 16-25 that took home prizes included Tiffany Whitney Chang (Best New Talent for STIR), Nathan Ginter (Best Film for THE THIRD EAR) and Bonnie MacRae (Best Director for ALL UP THERE). These three awards were judged by the BFI’s esteemed Festival Jury, who announced their choices at tonight’s ceremony, comprised of filmmakers Adura Onashile, Alexi Tan, Chloe Abrahams, Dan Cadan and Naqqash Khalid.
A further seven awards were presented during the ceremony, all judged by industry experts, with winners including Radheya Jegatheva (Best Animation for BIRD DRONE), Minerva Navasca (Best Documentary for GUARDIANS), Kit Warner (Best Experimental Film for LUCIDITY), Justin Kaminuma (Best International Film for DREAMS OF HOME), David Huang (International Special Mention for ROCK SPRINGS), Zeb Goriely (Best Micro Short for 36,000 WORDS FOR LOVE) and Jack McLoughlin (Best Writer for ARE YOU OKAY?). The winners were awarded prizes including money totalling £18,000, BFI Player subscriptions, and mentoring support generously offered by this year’s festival partners. The Awards were hosted by Elle Osili-Wood.
This year’s BFI Future Film Festival ran from 15 – 18 February at BFI Southbank and BFI IMAX, online, and in cinemas UK-wide, kindly supported by main sponsor Netflix. Young filmmakers were able to hear directly from some of the best in the business, including screenwriter and producer Jesse Armstrong (SUCCESSION, PEEP SHOW), filmmaker Jeanie Finlay (YOUR FAT FRIEND), actor Olisa Odele (BIG BOYS), Frank Film Club hosts and creators Maisie Williams, Lowri Roberts and Hannah Marie Williams, ANTHROPOCENE: THE HUMAN EPOCH filmmakers Jennifer Baichwal, Nicholas de Pencier and Edward Burtynsky, DON’T HUG ME I’M SCARED producer Hugo Donkin, Emmy-nominated casting director Kelly Valentine Hendry (BRIDGERTON, QUEEN CHARLOTTE), showrunners Martha Hillier and Bindu de Stoppani, broadcaster and producer Elle Osili-Wood, filmmakers from the NOWNESS network, Chicken House publisher Barry Cunningham, Lime Pictures’ Tim Compton, executive producer Liv West, TikTok filmmaker Tom Pablo, and video game designer Jörg Tittel.
The online programme, which included sessions exploring the filmmaker training ground that is UK soap operas, and practical advice on the skills needed for in-demand below the line roles presented by BFI Film Academy, is available to watch now on the BFI YouTube Channel.
FULL DETAILS OF AWARD WINNERS
BEST NEW TALENT – STIR (Tiffany Whitney Chang, 2023)
Jury members Adura?Onashile and Chloe Abrahams selected STIR, which sees tensions bubble at an annual family dinner when traditional expectations take their toll, leading to the accidental death of a family pet and an unusual predicament. The Best New Talent Award is supported by Warner Bros. Discovery, with the winner Tiffany Whitney Chang receiving a prize of £5,000 plus a mentoring package and BFI Player subscription.
Jury members Adura?Onashile and Chloe Abrahams said: "We were immersed in this film from the first shots, and it has left an impression on us in the days since watching. Deceptively simple in its concept, we were impressed with many aspects – the brilliant cinematography, surprising and funny writing, and the filmmaker’s ability to convey so much depth in such a short runtime. We felt this filmmaker trusted their instincts and leant into the power of a simple story to create a strong piece of film that clearly shows their potential."
BEST FILM – THE THIRD EAR (Nathan Ginter, 2023)
Jury members Alexi Tan and Naqqash Khalid selected THE THIRD EAR, which follows a life drawing model whose sense of self-image spirals after he sees a botched depiction of himself and sprouts an ear on the back of his head. The Best Film Award is supported by the Uggla Family Foundation, with the winner Nathan Ginter receiving a prize of £1,500 plus a mentoring package and BFI Player subscription.
Jury members Alexi Tan and Naqqash Khalid said: “Each of the films presented has such a unique sense of voice, it was difficult to highlight just one. The Third Ear manages to create and sustain a unique atmosphere whilst representing a complex character portrait - and to do this in the space of a short film is quite the achievement. The film has an original, quirky blend of both humour and suspense, and the filmmaker is a cinematic voice we are very much looking forward to seeing more of in the future."
BEST DIRECTOR – ALL UP THERE (Bonnie MacRae, 2022)
Jury members Adura?Onashile and Dan Cadan selected ALL UP THERE, a portrait of youth, womanhood and medical misogyny which follows 20-something Eilidh as she urgently seeks answers after debilitating pain pauses her life. The Best Director award is supported by Triple Exposure, with the winner Bonnie MacRae receiving a prize of £1,500 plus a mentoring package and BFI Player subscription.
Jury members Adura?Onashile and Dan Cadan said: “All the films in this category felt very strong, but our winning director displayed a unique vision, a desire to push boundaries and great confidence in treating what could feel like an “issue” with humour and creativity. A lightness of touch allowed the audience to feel an emotional punch by the conclusion, and each moment was delivered with thought and precision throughout. We were inspired by the film’s originality and could see this was a director with great potential. We very much look forward to seeing what they make in the future.”
In addition to the three awards judged by the BFI’s esteemed jury, the following competition categories have been judged by BFI and industry experts:
BEST ANIMATION – BIRD DRONE (Radheya Jegatheva, 2023)
The Best Animation Award is supported by Blinkink and judged by Bart Yates, Executive Producer/Partner of Blinkink. Radheya Jegatheva wins £1,500 plus a mentoring package and BFI Player subscription for BIRD DRONE, which follows a lonely seagull who struggles to accept that his newfound object of affection is a human-operated drone with limited battery life.?
BEST DOCUMENTARY – GUARDIANS (Minerva Navasca, 2021)
The Best Documentary Award is supported by Netflix and judged by Reva Sharma, Manager – Original Documentary Programming at Netflix. Minerva Navasca wins £1,500 plus a mentoring package and BFI Player subscription for GUARDIANS, a documentary that walks us through the psychological reality of a girl’s journey home on foot through concerned phone calls with friends.
BEST EXPERIMENTAL FILM – LUCIDITY (Kit Warner, 2023)
The Best Experimental Film Award is supported by Black Dog Films and judged by Martin Roker, Global Head of Black Dog Films. Kit Warner wins £1,500 plus a mentoring package and BFI Player subscription for LUCIDITY, the ominous and ethereal experience of a photographer who reimagines and explores the dreamlike memory of a beach.
BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM – DREAMS OF HOME (Justin Kaminuma, 2023)
The Best International Film Award is supported by the London School of English and judged by Timothy Blake, Chairman of London School of English. Justin Kaminuma wins £1,500 for DREAMS OF HOME, a visual poem crafted from footage of the filmmaker’s life which follows a boy through abstract landscapes in search of a place seen in his dreams.?
BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM – SPECIAL MENTION – ROCK SPRINGS (David Huang, 2023)
The Best International Film – Special Mention Award is supported by the London School of English and judged by Timothy Blake, Chairman of London School of English. David Huang wins £1,000 for ROCK SPRINGS, which sees a Chinese miner forced to make a difficult decision in the days leading up to the Chinese Massacre of 1885 in Rock Springs, Wyoming.
BEST MICRO SHORT – 36,000 WORDS FOR LOVE (Zeb Goriely, 2023)
The Best Micro Short Award is supported by Chapman Charitable Trust and judged by BFI Film Academy Young Programmers. Zeb Goriely wins £1,500 plus a BFI Player subscription for 36,000 WORDS FOR LOVE, an experimental film documenting a weekend spent at the filmmaker’s home using nothing but a microphone and a vintage film camera.?
BEST WRITER – ARE YOU OKAY? (Jack McLoughlin, 2023)
The Best Writer Award is supported by Action Xtreme and judged by Chee Keong Cheung, CEO of Action Xtreme. Jack McLoughlin wins £1,500 plus a mentoring package and BFI Player subscription for ARE YOU OKAY?, which sees Carl and his sister Leanne forced to confront some dark truths after their car breaks down on the journey to find mental health support for Carl.
