Two recent NFTS Directing Fiction graduates from the same class have won top international awards for their first feature films – in the same week!
Ilo, Ilo directed by Anthony Chen has won a staggering four Golden Horse Awards - Asia's equivalent of the Oscars – scooping Best Picture, Best New Director, Best Screenplay and Best Supporting Actress. Congratulations to Anthony Chen (pictured above, third from right) and his team that includes many NFTS graduates.
Paul Wright’s film For Those In Peril has snapped up Best Film at the BAFTA Scotland Awards. And one of the film’s central characters, actor George Mackay, who is also appearing on cinema screens at present in Sunshine on Leith, picked up the prestigious Best Film Actor award.
Paul Wright’s moving film about the impact of a fishing tragedy on a close-knit north-east community claimed the glory at Scotland’s flagship film and TV awards. For Those In Peril won two of the four categories it was nominated in at the ceremony, which saw the cream of the TV and film industry descend on Glasgow, including Scots-born Hollywood stars Kelly Macdonald and Brian Cox. Guests of honour at the ceremony included broadcaster Kirsty Wark and veteran actor Richard Wilson, who both received outstanding achievement awards from author William McIlvanney and Dr Who favourite David Tennant respectively.
Paul Wright’s film, which was only released last month, wowed critics when it was unveiled at the Cannes Film Festival in the spring, and later when it had its UK premiere in Edinburgh. BAFTA Scotland director Alan de Pellette said: “For a first-time director to win an award like this is a phenomenal achievement. “He’s already had a good run of things because his short films have already won awards, he has made his first film at a pretty young age and he got his first film shown at Cannes, which was obviously massive, and now this.”
Paul, who is already working on his follow-up to 'For Those In Peril', which will be a “strange love story,” said: “It’s probably taken about three years from having a blank page to getting the film out, which isn’t too bad for a feature.
“We knew the film was a bit different and strange, but we hoped that those people that connected with the film would really connect with it, and so far that’s been the case.
“With it being a really low-budget film there hasn’t been the money to throw around on marketing, but hopefully winning the award will mean more people hear about the film and check it out.”
Congratulations to Paul Wright and his team.
