London/Beijing/Hong Kong, 16 December 2016: The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) hosted masterclasses in mainland China yesterday and Hong Kong today with BAFTA-winning casting director, Nina Gold, who has cast actors such as Eddie Redmayne, Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley in major films. The events were part of BAFTA’s ongoing activity to support new talent, and encourage cross-cultural learning and creative collaboration between the UK and China.
At the masterclasses, Nina Gold shared her insights of casting films and TV shows, including Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Game of Thrones, with an audience of acting students, alumni and invited guests. Prior to the masterclasses, Nina conducted auditions, live and taped, with selected students from leading arts institutions the Beijing Film Academy and The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.
The first event, held in partnership with the China Britain Film Festival (CBFF), took place in Dachang, China on Wednesday 14 December at the Dachang Film and Media Industrial Park with students from the Beijing Film Academy.
The CBFF, which runs from 12-19 December 2016 in Beijing, aims to provide a platform for the closer relationship between the Chinese and British film industries and to nurture prosperity and development of the world film industries. On Tuesday 13 December Nina Gold and Amanda Berry OBE, Chief Executive of BAFTA, took part in panel discussions on casting and acting, and cultural collaboration respectively, at the CBFF’s Film Forum in Beijing, supported by LeTV.
Nina Gold’s second masterclass was held in Hong Kong, in partnership with The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, at the Academy’s Drama Theatre on Wanchai campus on Thursday 15 December.
BAFTA’s activities in Asia are supported by its Official Partners. These include The Peninsula Hong Kong, which has been the exclusive hotel partner since BAFTA’s first activity in the region 2013, Champagne Taittinger and The Peninsula Beijing.
Nina Gold speaks to Gina Fegan of the UK China Film Fund during the BAFTA Casting Masterclass at the China Britain Film Festival
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Nina Gold gives her masterclass to Beijing Film Academy students, alumni and invited guests at the China Britain Film Festival (CBFF)
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Nina Gold with Chairman of CBFF Kong Xinagxi, Gina Fegan and BAFTA’s Alex Cook
Nina Gold conducts mock auditions with students at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts
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Nina Gold speaks to film producer Nansun Shi during the BAFTA Casting Masterclass at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts
Nina Gold gives her masterclass to students, alumni and invited guests at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts
Nina Gold with key personnel from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, namely (left to right): Gillian Choa, Prof Adrian Walter, Nina Gold, Amanda Berry OBE and Prof Philip Wong
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For further information, please contact:
Arthur R. Hagopian at Strategic PR Group (Beijing)
T: (86) 10 8580 4258 x220
E: [email protected]
Jan Pang at BAFTA (Hong Kong)
T: +852 9180 0886
E: [email protected]
Eleanor Pickering at BAFTA (London)
T: +44 (0) 20 7734 0022
E: [email protected]
