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BAFTA Awards Scholarships To Students In The UK And US

16 September 2015
PWS 2015

Awardees include three beneficiaries of Prince William Scholarships in Film, Television and Games, supported by BAFTA and Warner Bros.

London/New York/Los Angeles, 16 September: The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) today announced the names of 30 students in financial need who will receive scholarships to study in the UK or US. As well as financial support, the BAFTA Scholars will gain free access to BAFTA events and receive one-to-one mentoring from BAFTA members, award-winners and nominees.

For a third year, three students receive the Prince William Scholarships in Film, Television and Games, supported by BAFTA and Warner Bros. These scholarships – an integral element of Warner Bros. Creative Talent, Warner Bros.’ investment in UK creative industries’ skills and training – are awarded in the name of HRH The Duke of Cambridge in his role as President of BAFTA.

The BAFTA Scholarship Programmes, managed by BAFTA in the UK, Los Angeles and New York, are part of the organisation’s charitable activity, supporting talented people at all stages of their career in film, television or games.

In the UK, 13 new and three returning British students will receive up to £10,000 as part of their package of support. This year, for the first time, BAFTA is awarding scholarships to students on undergraduate Acting courses, as well as a range of students on postgraduate courses.

Hosea Ntaborwa, from Croydon, Christopher Schlechte-Bond, from Widnes in Cheshire, and Shivani Shah, from Leicester gain the additional honour of being named Prince William Scholars. Their fees will be funded by Warner Bros., and they each will receive a short funded work placement with the Warner Bros. group of companies in the UK, access to a Warner Bros. mentor, and invitations to Warner Bros.’ series of industry masterclasses.

The ten other UK scholarship recipients announced today are: Tom Barnes, from Reading; Adam Barnett, from Newcastle; Jurell Carter, from Leicester; Laura-Beth Cowley, from Isle of Portland in Dorset; Jason Harris, from Wolverhampton; Kyle Horwood, from Swindon; Michael Johnson, from Liverpool; Jonny Lavelle, from Houghton-le-Spring in County Durham; Benjamin Luff, from Newcastle-upon-Tyne; and Daniel Seager, from Whitstable in Kent.

In addition, Matilda Ibini, from Hackney and Elizabeth Mercuri, from Chesterfield in Derbyshire – who were both named Prince William Scholarship recipients in 2014 – and Bradley Morgan Johnson from Norwich, will each receive a further scholarship from BAFTA to complete the second year of their course.

For the course details and biographies of the BAFTA Scholars studying in the UK, go to: http://bit.ly/1LdZ2cm

HRH The Duke of Cambridge said: “Having met previous recipients of the Prince William Scholarships in Film, Television and Games, I know the impact that the BAFTA and Warner Bros. initiative has for these talented students. As President of BAFTA, I am proud of the opportunities for progression that the scheme offers. I would like to congratulate this year's recipients Hosea, Christopher and Shivani – and all the new BAFTA Scholars – and wish them all the best in their future careers.”

Anne Morrison, Chair of BAFTA said: “BAFTA’s scholarship programmes in the UK and through our international branches continue to go from strength to strength. Through these schemes we’re able to provide talented individuals, who might otherwise be lost to our industries, with the financial means and professional support to advance their careers in film, television and games. We’re delighted that previous beneficiaries, such as BAFTA winner and Oscar nominee Daisy Jacobs, are already making an impact at our Awards ceremonies.”

Josh Berger CBE, President & Managing Director, Warner Bros. UK, Ireland & Spain, said: “Our commitment to finding, funding and nurturing talented people from all backgrounds continues. Every year, we are excited to see the Prince William Scholars making the most of the insight, experience, and financial support provided to them. We are confident that Hosea, Christopher and Shivani will do just the same, and we wish them all the very best as they lay the foundations of their careers.”

The BAFTA Scholarship Programme in the UK is overseen by BAFTA’s Learning and Events Committee, chaired by Sara Putt, and made possible by the generous support of a number of individuals, foundations and partnerships.

BAFTA Los Angeles provides financial support and mentorship to British graduate students who are studying in the US. This year's recipients are: Emily Rice, studying at the University of Southern California; Richard Tuft, at California Institute for the Arts; Amelia Hassard, at Columbia University; and Alexander Noël Ivan Polunin, at the University of Southern California. In addition, Sean Dunn, studying at Columbia University, is awarded the first ever Pigott/BAFTA Scholarship; and Michael Clarkson at the University of Southern California receives the Nigel Lythgoe Television Scholarship. For the students’ biographies, go to: http://bit.ly/1UOL9aE

BAFTA Los Angeles Chairman Kieran Breen said: "Our scholarship program has provided much needed support to British film students in the US for over 20 years. We are proud to support this year’s emerging talents and continue the cultural exchange of expertise between the US and UK industries. I sincerely thank Mark Pigott, KBE for his incredible support of our program.”

BAFTA New York specialises in supporting both graduate and undergraduate students pursuing media studies at institutions located within the New York City area, through its Media Studies Scholarship Program. This year, it awards eight scholarships, made possible due to the continued generous support of partners such as BBC America, DLT Entertainment, DreamWorks Animation, Walkers Shortbread, HBO, Cinedigm and Discovery Communications. This year’s recipients are: Amina Ebada, Salomeya (Sally) Lomidze, Jeremy Norris, and Lamont Baldwin, all studying at Brooklyn College; Charlotte Wells and Giuliana Monteiro at NYU Tisch School of the Arts; Matthew Marquez at Hunter College, and Melisande Bliss at City College of New York. For more information, go to: http://bit.ly/1KjEuKa

BAFTA New York Chairman Luke Parker Bowles said: “Of the veritable cornucopia of programs BAFTA New York offers, our scholarships are undeniably the most rewarding. Our incredibly generous roster of donors allows us to make a significant difference in the lives of students, so you cannot help but grin from ear to ear when you eventually get to see the results of these tremendous students’ work. We are excited to continue to grow the program and, in doing so, open the door for more filmmakers of tomorrow.”

Linda Kahn, Chair of BAFTA New York Educational Outreach Committee, said: “Now in its fourth year, the BAFTA New York Media Studies scholarships recognize deserving students to enable them to pursue their studies in film and television. This year, we have an unprecedented eight scholarships, totalling $30,000, and the participation of four universities located in New York. BAFTA New York is thrilled to support the next generation with contributions from so many sponsors. The Media Studies scholarship is just the beginning of ongoing mentoring activities with these outstanding students."

In 2016, BAFTA will offer scholarships to enable talented Chinese and British nationals in financial need to study film, television, or games as an international student in the UK or China respectively. The new scholarships aim to encourage creative collaboration and cultural exchange between British and Asian practitioners. They follow on from the successful programme in Hong Kong, supported by the Yip Foundation, for which BAFTA is providing a scholarship to British student Tian Macleod Ji for a second year, to complete his studies in Hong Kong.


For further information, please contact:

In the UK:
Daisy Jestico / Hollie Rendall at Kindred Agency
Tel: 020 7010 0834 / 020 7010 0829
Email: [email protected] / [email protected]

In New York:
Lina Plath / Stephanie Davidson at Frank PR
Tel: 646 861 0843
Email: [email protected] / [email protected]

In Los Angeles:
Andy Gelb / Rachael Trager at Slate PR
Tel: 310 461 0111
Email: [email protected] / [email protected]

About BAFTA, BAFTA Los Angeles and BAFTA New York
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts 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. To access the best creative minds in film, TV and games production, visit www.bafta.org/guru. For more, visit www.bafta.org.

The BAFTA Scholarship Programme in the UK was launched in 2012 and is now in its fourth year. The inaugural Prince William Scholarships in Film, Television and Games were awarded to three of the scholarship recipients in 2013, with a further three awarded in 2014. All scholarship recipients are selected by a panel of industry professionals following an open call to UK nationals applying for eligible UK courses.

In 2014, the third year of the BAFTA Scholarship Programme in the UK, the new scholarship recipients students received mentoring from BAFTA members, award winners and nominees including: games programmer Lizi Attwood (Call of Duty: Strike Team, Buzz); visual effects artist Ed Plant (Harry Potter, Cinderella); writer and producer Allan Cubitt (The Fall, The Boys Are Back); screenwriter Jack Thorne (This Is England, A Long Way Down); executive producer Anthony Geffen, (First Life, David Attenborough Meets President Obama); visual effects producer/supervisor Simon Frame (Da Vinci's Demons, Roald Dahl's Esio Trot); director Paul McGuigan (Lucky Number Slevin, Sherlock); animation director Adam Shaw (Tree Fu Tom, Miffy); and game developer Imre Jele (Monstermind, Merlin).

Founded in 1987, BAFTA Los Angeles serves as a bridge between the Hollywood and British production and entertainment business communities. Its commitment to professional and community education is at the heart of all activity, including an award-winning community outreach programme, screenings, seminars, Behind Closed Doors series, Q&As, scholarships for British students studying in the US, a Newcomers Program for emerging British talents working in the US, and a Heritage Archive project that preserves in-depth interviews with the industry's leading talents for future generations. BAFTA Los Angeles celebrates and promotes excellence through its annual Britannia Awards, Awards Season Film and Television Tea Parties and the Student Film Awards. www.bafta.org/losangeles   

BAFTA New York, founded in 1996, recognizes and promotes the achievements of British film and television in New York and all along the East Coast. It hosts an extensive roster of feature film, television and documentary screenings, panel discussions, premieres and co-produced events with other established organizations in the film and television industry, and runs an educational outreach program aimed at underserved youth in New York City that includes the BAFTA New York Media Studies Scholarship Program. It is also committed to looking ahead, exploring the intersection of entertainment and technology while ensuring its programming and partnerships serve its audiences, its members and the public. www.bafta.org/new-york

BAFTA Los Angeles and BAFTA New York are 501(c)3 Non-Profit Corporations and rely on income from membership subscriptions, individual donations, trusts, foundations and corporate partnerships to support their ongoing work.