LOS ANGELES, CA – July 12, 2024 – Tonight, BAFTA announced the winners of the 20th annual 2024 Yugo BAFTA Student Awards. The finalists, which include nine films, three games, and three immersive projects, were chosen from over 800 submissions by a jury of BAFTA members. These submissions represented 109 schools across 37 countries. Now in its 20th year, what started as a local competition for Los Angeles schools in 2004 has grown to celebrate and recognize the works of the next generation of talented and innovative storytellers from around the globe.
This year universities and colleges worldwide were invited to submit their best projects for consideration in six categories – the BAFTA Student Film Award for Animation, the BAFTA Student Film Award for Documentary, the BAFTA Student Film Award for Live Action, the BAFTA Student Award for Games, the BAFTA Student Award for Immersive, and the Special Jury Prize. The Special Jury included: Trace Lysette (Actress, Transparent, Monica), Moses Bwayo (Director, Bobi Wine: The People’s President), and Stephanie Economou (Composer, Ruby Gillman: Teenage Kraken).The Awards ceremony was hosted by Actor Elliot Knight (The Boys, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III) on Friday, July 12. Awards were presented by Victoria Bousis (Founder, UME Studios), Writer Aadip Desai, EMMY Nominated Director John Aoshima (Gravity Falls, Ultraman: Rising), Actor Rafael Cebrián (Acapulco), Animator Shannon Tindle (ULTRAMAN: Rising), and Composer Andrew Prahlow (Outer Wilds).
The winners are as follows:
SPECIAL JURY PRIZE
Dragfox
Lisa Ott
National Film and Television School, United Kingdom
FOR ANIMATION
LE BRUIT DU SILENCE
Téo Frantz, Violette Talalaeff, Dora Özal, Damien Rudeaux, Marjorie Dutriaux
École MoPA, France
FOR DOCUMENTARY
When the Floods Come
Nyal Mueenuddin
The University of the West of England, United Kingdom
FOR LIVE ACTION
Solitude
María Conchita Díaz
Centro de Capacitación Cinematográfica, A.C., Mexico
FOR GAMES
There Was a Home
Wid Alhajjaji
National Film and Television School, United Kingdom
FOR IMMERSIVE
Smell Like Home
Olivia (Jiaxuan) Yin
New York University, United States
YUGO STUDENT CHOICE (Tie)
Solitude
María Conchita Díaz
Centro de Capacitación Cinematográfica, A.C., Mexico
and
Haus am Hang (Halfway House)
Konstantin Münzel
Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg, Germany
“We are immensely proud of this year’s winners.” said Courtney LaBarge Bell, Executive Director BAFTA North America. “The 802 submissions we received highlight extraordinary talent and exemplary work. The Yugo BAFTA Student Awards provide a vital platform for this artistry to be showcased to the entertainment industry on a global stage. For the past 20 years, we have dedicated ourselves to amplifying the voices of the next generation of storytellers, and we look forward to continuing this mission for many years to come.”
“The Yugo BAFTA Student Awards are a true celebration of the incredible young talent we have across the world,” added Joe Persechino, Chief Operating Officer of Yugo. “Yugo is committed to ensuring students are supported and empowered to live their best lives. This is the 7th consecutive year Yugo has partnered with the awards, and we are incredibly proud to be a part of this event that truly aligns with Yugo’s pillars of supporting the next generation of students during and beyond college life. At Yugo, we provide supportive, safe environments that nurture the entire educational journey. This is an essential part of the holistic experience, where students can connect, thrive, learn and grow. Once again, it’s been brilliant witnessing the creative flair shown from all corners of the world, and we congratulate all of tonight’s winners.”
The Yugo BAFTA Student Awards is an annual event celebrating the works of the next generation of talented and innovative storytellers from around the globe. The Awards are an important component of BAFTA’s extensive Learning, Inclusion and Talent program – created to ensure that talented individuals are offered a clear pathway to careers in the entertainment industry, uninhibited by background, demographics or personal circumstance. Activities include acclaimed scholarship, mentorship, education and community initiatives.
Yugo, who has sponsored the awards since 2018, serves as the Title Sponsor for the Yugo BAFTA Student Awards. The Yugo BAFTA Student Awards are sponsored by Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic, the Official Airline Partners of the Yugo BAFTA Student Awards, that assist with traveling finalists out to Los Angeles.
