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BAFTA Breakthrough Brits 2016: Jury Meets To Select Honourees And Event Date Announced

26 September 2016
BREAKTHROUGH BRITS - JURYBBC/Jamie Simonds

Recipients of the honour will be announced on Tuesday 25 October, presented in partnership with Burberry

Jury members included actress Rosamund Pike and actor Joe Dempsie

Leading figures across the film, television and games industries met at the headquarters of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) at 195 Piccadilly in London this evening, to select this year’s BAFTA Breakthrough Brits, in partnership with Burberry. The chosen talented newcomers will be announced at an event at the global Burberry flagship, 121 Regent Street, on Tuesday 25 October.

Jury members included BAFTA-nominated actress Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl, Die Another Day), actor Joe Dempsie (Game of Thrones, Skins), BAFTA-winning director Sarah Gavron (Suffragette, Brick Lane) and BAFTA-winning games designer and developer Mike Bithell (Thomas Was Alone, Monstermind).

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, 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). Prior to being named a Breakthrough Brit in 2015, games creative director Luke Whittaker received three BAFTA nominations for the game Lumino City, and won the award for Artistic Achievement in 2015.

This year’s jury is comprised of leading figures in film, television and games, including multiple BAFTA winners and nominees: producer Marc Samuelson (Tom & Viv, Wilde); John Willis, producer and Chief Executive of Mentorn Media, Group Creative Director of Tinopolis plc (Johnny Go Home, Alice – A Fight For Life); Liz Warner, Former Channel 4 Commissioning Editor, and founder of independent production company, betty (The Undateables, Big Brother); Composer Martin Phipps (Small Island, Peaky Blinders); and playwright and screenwriter Lucinda Coxon (The Danish Girl, The Crimson Petal And The White).

The jury also includes: Lee Schuneman, Studio Head at Microsoft’s Lift London (Kinect Sports, Diddy Kong Racing); Ade Rawcliffe, Creative Diversity Manager at Channel 4; Sanjay Singhal, CEO, Voltage Productions; Pat Younge, Managing Director, Sugar Films; Briony Hanson, Director of Film, British Council; Patrick O'Luanaigh, CEO, nDreams; and Phil Harrison, games developer and former corporate vice president of Microsoft.

Breakthrough Brits Jury Chair, Anne Morrison, and Deputy Chair of BAFTA, said: “I am thrilled at the continuing success of Breakthrough Brits. Year on year, the calibre of talent we identify through the scheme exceeds expectations, and we’re delighted to see so many of our Breakthrough Brits go on to become BAFTA winners. The generous support we receive each year from the industry – both through our dedicated jury members this evening and our mentors who give their support throughout the year – is what makes Breakthrough Brits such a special initiative, helping us to nurture and celebrate the next generation of creative talent in film, television and games.”

Industry figures who have given mentoring support to the 2015 Breakthrough Brits include: actors Daniel Day Lewis (There Will Be Blood, Lincoln), Olivia Colman (Broadchurch, The Lobster), Naomie Harris (Skyfall, Pirates of the Caribbean) Sally Hawkins (Happy-Go-Lucky, Blue Jasmine) and Carey Mulligan (Suffragette, The Great Gatsby); game narrative designer Rhianna Pratchett (Tomb Raider, Heavenly Sword); directors Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire, Trainspotting) and Bennett Miller (Capote, Foxcatcher); screenwriter Chris Chibnall (Broadchurch, Doctor Who); and game designer Tim Schafer (Broken Age, Psychonauts).

In addition, BAFTA-winning and Oscar-nominated director Paul Greengrass (United 93, The Bourne Ultimatum), spoke at the launch of this year’s initiative, sharing his creative insights with previous Breakthrough Brits and other BAFTA-supported new talent. BAFTA-winning director Sam Mendes (Skyfall, American Beauty) also gave his support earlier this year, speaking to 2015’s Breakthrough Brits at a private lunch at the Rosewood Hotel, London.

For more information about BAFTA Breakthrough Brits, in partnership with Burberry, go to: http://bit.ly/Breakthrough-Brits.

Full list of jurors in 2016:

  • Anne Morrison (Jury Chair) – former Director of the BBC Academy and Deputy Chair of BAFTA
  • 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
  • Mike Bithell – Games designer and developer
  • Lucinda Coxon –  Writer
  • Joe Dempsie – Actor
  • Sarah Gavron – Director
  • Briony Hanson – Director of Film, British Council
  • Phil Harrison – Games developer
  • Patrick O'Luanaigh – CEO nDreams
  • Martin Phipps –  Composer
  • Rosamund Pike  – Actress
  • Sanjay Singhal – CEO, Voltage Productions
  • Liz Warner – Former Channel 4 Commissioning Editor, and founder of independent production company, betty
  • John Willis –  Chief Executive of Mentorn Media, Group Creative Director of Tinopolis plc, and former Chair of BAFTA
  • Pat Younge – Managing Director, Sugar Films

For further information, please contact:

Kerry McGlone at freuds
T: +44 (0) 20 3003 6648
E: [email protected]

Charlotte Inett at freuds
T: +44 (0)20 3003 6350
E: [email protected]

About BAFTA

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is an independent charity that supports, develops and promotes the art forms of the moving image by identifying and rewarding excellence, inspiring practitioners and benefiting the public. In addition to its Awards ceremonies, BAFTA has a year-round programme of learning events and initiatives – featuring workshops, masterclasses, scholarships, lectures and mentoring schemes – in the UK, USA and Asia; it offers unique access to the world’s most inspiring talent and connects with a global audience of all ages and backgrounds. BAFTA relies on income from membership subscriptions, individual donations, trusts, foundations and corporate partnerships to support its ongoing outreach work. To access the best creative minds in film, television and games production, visit www.bafta.org/guru. For more, visit www.bafta.org.

About Burberry

  • Established in 1856, Burberry is a global British luxury brand with a heritage of innovation, craftsmanship and design. 
  • The Burberry business comprises five divisions: menswear, womenswear, childrenswear, accessories and beauty.
  • Burberry is headquartered in London and listed on the London Stock Exchange (BRBY.L), Burberry is a constituent of the FTSE 100 index.
  • Visit www.burberry.com for further information.