NFTS graduation films have been conquering Indie Awards around the world AND the Sundance Film Festival from the British Independent Film Awards (BIFAs) to the internationally respected Independent Documentary Awards (IDAs) in the U.S.A – and four films have been selected for screening at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival.
The 2015 animation film Edmond - which was written/directed by Nina Gantz and produced by Emilie Jouffroy - has won Best British Short Film at the BIFAs.
NFTS graduates also had credits on these other BIFA-winning films: the documentary feature Dark Horse - The Incredible True Story of Dream Alliance (Executive Producer Anna Higgs; DoP Benjamin Kracun), which was awarded Best Documentary and Ex-Machina (Concept Artist Jessica Sinclair) which took the award for Best British Independent Film. Actor Brendan Gleeson took home the BIFA award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Suffragette, which was directed by NFTS graduate Sarah Gavron.
Speaking after the awards, Nina and Emilie said: "We are thrilled to have received such a prestigious award. We're grateful for all the support we have received along the way, and we hope that being recognised in this way will help every member of our team, who worked so very hard on the film, with their future careers and opportunities."
NFTS documentary The Archipelago, which was produced, directed and shot by Benjamin Huguet, has won the David L Wolper Student Documentary Award at this year’s IDA Documentary Awards, which were presented in Los Angeles. Benjamin told the NFTS: “Being nominated at the International Documentary Association ceremony, standing aside filmmakers whose work I immensely value was already incomparable as a privilege so receiving an award there was a very, very moving experience.
“Thanks to the NFTS that has sponsored my journey to Los Angeles, and thanks to my teammates & friends Kamilla Kristiane Hodøl, Natasha Roper, Neil Lenthall, Rob Malone, Antonio Nardi and Alex Peters that has put so much energy and talent into that film.”
In addition, NFTS graduate Jonny Persey was Executive Producer on Jerry Rothwell’s film about the founders of Greenpeace How to Change the World, which won the Pare Lorentz Award for environmental and social issues.
Three NFTS animation films - Pombo Loves You, Manoman and Edmond – and a documentary, Territory, have been selected for screening the prestigious Sundance Film Festival. They were selected from over 8000 submissions from all over the world and are make up four out of the seven UK films that are screening in this category.
Nik Powell, NFTS Director said: “It is fantastic to see the NFTS’ student films and talented graduates being recognised for their work on productions ranging from live action and documentary to animation at festivals and awards spanning the globe. This is one of the reasons that the NFTS is recognised internationally for being a world-leading film school.”
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NFTS Film Credits:
Edmond:
Director/Writer/Animator Nina Gantz; Producer Emilie Jouffroy; Story Consultant Rafael Kapelinski; DoP Ian Forbes; Editor Nina Rac; Designer Laura Mickiewicz; VFX Supervisor Felipe Olid Guerrero; Sound Editor/Rerecording Mixer Rob Turner; Composer Terence Dunn; Online Editor/Grade Jon Pugh; Stop-Motion Animators Adam Watts & Hywel Roberts (current students); 2D Animator Terri Matthews (current student)
The Archipelago:
Additional Producer Kamilla Kristiane Hodøl; Editor Neil Lenthall; Sound Editor/Rerecording Mixer Robert Malone; Composer Antonio Nardi; Online Editor/Grade Alex Peters; Sound Recordist Natasha Roper Territory: Director/Co-Producer/DoP Eleanor Mortimer; Co-Producer Jacob Thomas; Editor Nina Rac; VFX Sacha Bowling; Sound Editor/Rerecording Mixer Florentin Tudor; Composer Fraya Thomsen;Sound Recordist Barry Coxhead; Online Editor/Grade Ioannis Sariktzis; Production Manager Edward Dilnott-Cooper; VFX Graham Dorey (current student)
Pombo Loves You:
Director/Animator/Story Steve Warne; Producer Ina Remme; Writer/Story Josh Blaaberg; DoP Alistair Little; Designer Dana Anusca; Production Manager Jemma Marshall; Editor Jojo Erholtz;VFX Supervisor Jon Pugh; Sound Editor/Rerecording Mixer Robert Malone; Composer Filip Sijanec; Online Editor/Grade Felipe Olid Guerrero; Additional Animator Adam Watts (current student);Compositor Xi Zhao (current student).
ManoMan:
Director/Writer/Puppetmaker Simon Cartwright; Producer Kamilla Kristiane Hodøl; Story Consultant Matthew Jankes; DoP Steven Cameron Ferguson; Designer Sara Taddei; Editor Paco Sweetman; SFX Chris Dubock; VFX Supervisor/Animator Rob Rankin; Sound Editor/Rerecording Mixer Dayo James; Composer Terence Dunn; Online Editor/Grade Alex Peters; Production Manager Edward Dilnott-Cooper.
Pictured : L-R Emilie Jouffroy and Nina Gantz
