BAFTA/Grainne Quinlan VIP afternoon tea event in partnership with British Council welcomes leading figures from the Chinese film industry
Chinese peer mentors announced for promising UK film talent
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has introduced promising British film talent to leading figures in the Chinese film industry during this year’s Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF).
On Wednesday (20 June) producer Dionne Walker and writer/actor Sarah Quintrell – who were identified through BAFTA’s talent discovery programme – were special guests at an afternoon tea reception at The Middle House Shanghai hosted by BAFTA and British Council. During their stay in Shanghai they will also attend numerous Film Festival events, including the Asian New Talent Awards, as well as having one-to-one meetings with Chinese film professionals. The pair have also been matched with peer mentors from China: actor/writer Ludi Lin; writer/director Sky Wang; director/screenwriter/cinematographer Wen Ren.
- Writer/actor Sarah Quintrell was nominated for a BAFTA and was named a BAFTA Breakthrough Brit in 2017 for her screenwriting debut Ellen starring Jessica Barden and Yasmin Monet Prince and directed by fellow Breakthrough Brit Mahalia Belo.
- Producer Dionne Walker was BAFTA-nominated, with director George Amponsah, in the Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer in 2017 for the documentary The Hard Stop about the police killing of Mark Duggan in 2011 and the civil unrest that was ignited as a result.
Dionne and Sarah will be supported by the following peer mentors:
- Ludi Lin (a Chinese-Canadian actor and writer) - Ludi recently wrapped production on Warner Bros.’ Aquaman, with Nicole Kidman, Patrick Wilson, and Willem Dafoe. He also starred in The Power Rangers (2017) and the Chinese film Come Across Love.
- Sky Wang (a Chinese-American writer/director) - Sky has directed numerous shorts and received many festival accolades and is currently pursuing projects in the US and the greater China region.
- Wen Ren (a Chinese-American director/screenwriter/cinematographer) – Ren started making films at the age of 13 and has worked on 50+ narrative films, music videos and commercials. He graduated from the Los Angeles Film School. His short film Café Glass was an opening film at the Tribeca Film Festival and he is currently working on The Last Sunrise for Union Pictures and Youku Tudou Inc.
Tim Hunter, Director of Learning and Events at BAFTA, said: “We are very pleased to be here at the Shanghai International Film Festival presenting outstanding British film talent for a second year. We know how beneficial it is to connect with counterparts in the Chinese film industry and we’re particularly grateful to Ludi Lin, Sky Wang, Ren Wen and the other industry professionals who have so generously given their time to share their insights with Dionne and Sarah.”
Nick Marchand, Director Arts and Creative Industry British Council China said: “As a partner, we are delighted to support BAFTA and its new talent on this trip to Shanghai during Shanghai International Film Festival. We hope this trip opens new opportunities for UK-China film exchange, and creates a long-term impact for both.”
BAFTA’s activity in Shanghai is generously supported by British Airways, The Middle House Shanghai and Champagne Taittinger.
For further information, please contact:
Lisa Richards at BAFTA
T: +44 207 292 5863
E: [email protected]
Xiatong Zhao at SPRG Beijing
T: (8610) 020 7292 5800
E: [email protected]
Jan Pang at BAFTA
E: [email protected]
About BAFTA
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) is a world-leading independent arts charity that brings the very best work in film, games and television to public attention and supports the growth of creative talent in the UK and internationally. Through its Awards ceremonies and year-round programme of learning events and initiatives – which includes workshops, masterclasses, scholarships, lectures and mentoring schemes in the UK, USA and Asia – BAFTA identifies and celebrates excellence, discovers, inspires and nurtures new talent, and enables learning and creative collaboration. For advice and inspiration from the best creative minds in working in film, games and television, visit www.bafta.org/guru. For more, visit www.bafta.org.
About BAFTA in Asia
Since 2013, BAFTA has worked with partners in mainland China and Hong Kong to deliver masterclasses and international scholarships and engaging world-renowned, award-winning filmmakers, actors and craftspeople to take part, including Johnnie To, Zhang Yimou, Duncan Kenworthy, Eddie Redmayne, Lois Burwell and Hugh Bonneville. Through such events and initiatives, BAFTA promotes a spirit of open, creative collaboration between the UK and China and encourages cross-cultural exchange.
About The British Council
The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We create friendly knowledge and understanding between the people of the UK and other countries. Using the UK’s cultural resources we make a positive contribution to the countries we work with – changing lives by creating opportunities, building connections and engendering trust.
We work with over 100 countries across the world in the fields of arts and culture, English language, education and civil society. Each year we reach over 20 million people face-to-face and more than 500 million people online, via broadcasts and publications.
Founded in 1934, we are a UK charity governed by Royal Charter and a UK public body. The majority of our income is raised delivering a range of projects and contracts in English teaching and examinations, education and development contracts and from partnerships with public and private organisations. Eighteen per cent of our funding is received from the UK government.
We operate as the Cultural and Education Section of the British Embassy in Beijing and Cultural and Education Section of the British Consulate-General in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chongqing and Wuhan. Our Exams work across China operates as a Wholly Foreign Owned Enterprise.
