Los Angeles, June 26, 2015:  The British Academy of Film and Television Arts Los Angeles (BAFTA Los Angeles) has announced tonight that the 2015 BAFTA US Student Film Award was given to Henry Hughes from American Film Institute for his short film “Day One.” BAFTA members screened all eight final films in contention and voted on the top honor tonight at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills. This marks the first year the BAFTA US Student Film Awards extended nationwide, accepting applications from students studying in schools throughout the US.

A Special Jury Prize Presented by AKA Hotels was awarded to Zoe Lubeck from DePaul University for her film “Lucy.” The panel of Hollywood luminaries included BAFTA-nominated director Edgar Wright, Britannia Award-winner Michael Sheen, Variety News Features Editor Shalini Dore, and renowned film editor Christopher Rouse. Earlier this month, AKA Hotels hosted a special reception in New York to celebrate the students and faculty of participating schools on the East Coast.

“We are deeply committed to celebrating new talent, and supporting those who demonstrate the potential to rise to the very top of our profession” said Kieran Breen, BAFTA Los Angeles Chairman. “By connecting promising international students with BAFTA’s membership and educational programming, we work to ensure that the fruitful relationship between the UK and International industries continues long into the future”.

“The breadth of innovation in the eight finalists was truly staggering. Not just in terms of production value and performances, but the ingenuity in the story telling. It was a pleasure to sit there and see the future,” stated Edgar Wright.

“I wish I could spend every evening so enjoyably. Eight incredibly diverse, entertaining, challenging, disturbing and beautiful films. The future looks bright,” added Michael Sheen.

The evening concluded with an after-party and the presentation of this year’s Student Film Award and Special Jury Prize winners. 

This spring, BAFTA invited 89 of the most elite film schools from across the United States to submit student films for consideration. Of those submissions, the following were finalists for the prestigious Student Film Award: A Mighty Nice Man by Jonathan Dee, Columbia University; Day One by Henry Hughes, American Film Institute; Grooming by Kaushik Sampath, University of Southern California; Jinxy Jenkins, Lucky Lou by Michael Bidinger and Michelle Kwon, Ringling College of Art and Design; Lucy by Zoe Lubeck, DePaul University; Soar by Alyce Tzue, Academy of Art University; South Arcadia St. by Melanie D’Andrea, University of Southern California; Wire Cutters by Jack Anderson, Chapman University.

The BAFTA US Student Film Awards identify and celebrate the best creative works produced by American and international students studying in the United States. The event is presented as part of BAFTA’s on-going commitment to supporting and developing emerging talents, with the finalists also invited to attend BAFTA’s year-round educational events in the US. The BAFTA US Student Film Awards also serves to connect rising international student filmmakers with experts from the UK entertainment industry.

The 2015 BAFTA US Student Film Awards is sponsored by Adrian Flambard, Variety and AKA.

For more information on the 2015 BAFTA US Student Film Awards and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts Los Angeles, visit www.baftala.org.