The British Academy of Film and Television Arts announced the nine finalists for the 2017 BAFTA Student Film Awards. BAFTA’s Student Film Awards competition expanded internationally this year, with the final films having been selected from four countries. Awards will be announced at a gala ceremony June 22 at the Ace Hotel in Los Angeles.
The finalists were selected from over 400 submissions by students at film schools internationally.
Film schools across the globe were able to submit up to nine films for consideration for four top prizes including 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. Special Jury members for 2017 have not been announced yet.
This year’s contenders for animation include “Adam,” directed by Evelyn Jane Ross of Rhode Island School of Design; “Once Upon a Line,” directed by Alicja Jasina of USC; and “The Wishgranter,” directed by Kal Athannassov, John McDonald and Echo Wu of Ringling College. For documentary: “4.1 Miles,” directed by Daphne Matziaraki of UC Berkeley; “The Female Voice,” directed by Julia dos Santos of Goldsmiths of University of London; and “Living Behind Numbers,” directed by Martin Read of University of South Wales. For live action: “Dekalb Elementary,” directed by Reed Van Dyk of UCLA; “F**king Drama,” directed by Michael Podogil of Filmakademie Wien; and “Nocturne in Black,” directed by Jimmy Keyrouz of Columbia University.
Last year’s BAFTA U.S. student film award winner was Clara Roquet from Columbia University for “El Adiós.” The Special Jury Prize was presented to Seth Boyden from CalArts for “An Object at Rest.”
