The Duke, President of BAFTA, will discuss the organisation’s long-term ambitions for UK-Asia cross-cultural exchange
Shanghai and London, 25 February 2015: The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has today announced its first ever visit to Shanghai, as part of the delegation of British organisations attending the UK Government’s GREAT Festival of Creativity, from Monday 2 to Wednesday 4 March. HRH The Duke of Cambridge will officially open the Festival. As President of BAFTA, The Duke will use the opportunity while in Shanghai to discuss BAFTA’s intentions to foster creative and cultural exchange between British and Asian practitioners in the film, television and games industries.
The visit by BAFTA builds on the organisation’s ongoing outreach into Asia, which began in Hong Kong in 2013 and has so far included a series of masterclasses with British talent, screenings of BAFTA-nominated British short films, a new broadcast deal with Youku Tudou to stream the BAFTA Awards ceremonies, and the establishment of a Hong Kong scholarship programme.
The GREAT Festival of Creativity, taking place at Shanghai’s Long Museum, West Bund, will showcase Britain’s status as a world leader in commercial creativity. On Wednesday 4 March, Amanda Berry OBE, Chief Executive of BAFTA, will introduce a day of talks focussed on British film, including a masterclass on the making of the BAFTA-nominated film Paddington, which will receive its Chinese premiere the night before. A BAFTA mask will be on display in the ‘GREAT Creations’ exhibition of British design innovations throughout the Festival.
Amanda Berry said of the visit: “We are delighted to be joining BAFTA President HRH The Duke of Cambridge at the GREAT Festival of Creativity in Shanghai. BAFTA recognises that the film, television and games industries are becoming ever more global, and we believe that opportunities for creativity and innovation will increasingly result from collaboration between territories. We first launched activity in Hong Kong 15 months ago, and engagement since then includes masterclasses with BAFTA and Oscar-winning actor Eddie Redmayne, BAFTA-winning and Oscar-nominated producer Duncan Kenworthy OBE, and BAFTA-nominated and Oscar-winning make-up artist Lois Burwell. During the festival we will be sharing our plans to engage with the creative industries and public audiences more widely across China.”
BAFTA recently recruited Liz Shackleton as Asia Programmer and Producer to devise and deliver a programme of events and initiatives across Asia that share industry expertise with UK and Asian audiences. Shackleton, who will be attending the Festival, is also Asia Editor of film trade publication Screen International and is based in Hong Kong.
The BAFTA delegation at the GREAT Festival of Creativity will also include Anne Morrison, Chair of BAFTA, and Tim Hunter, Director of Learning and Events.
For full details of BAFTA‘s activity in Asia, visit http://bit.ly/BAFTAinAsia.
For the latest updates, follow @BAFTA on Twitter and /BAFTA on Facebook, and join the conversation using #BAFTA & #GREATFestivals.
BAFTA Activity in Shanghai at-a-glance
Monday 2 March:
BAFTA representatives attend the official opening of the GREAT Festival of Creativity by HRH The Duke of Cambridge at the Long Museum.
Tuesday 3 March:
HRH The Duke of Cambridge and BAFTA representatives attend the premiere of BAFTA-nominated film Paddington at the Shanghai Film Museum.
Wednesday 4 March:
Amanda Berry OBE, Chief Executive of BAFTA, introduces a day of talks at the Long Museum focussed on British film.
Mon 2 - Wed 4 March:
BAFTA mask on display in the ‘GREAT Creations’ exhibition at the Long Museum.
For further information about BAFTA’s activities in Shanghai, please contact:
Vivian Jin (FleishmanHillard)
Tel: +86 64070066-803
Mobile: +86.13816633516
Lydia Hu (FleishmanHillard)
Tel: +86 64070066-893
Mobile: +86.13916188505
About BAFTA
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) is an independent charity that 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, international programme of learning events and initiatives that offers unique access to some of the world’s most inspiring talent through workshops, masterclasses, scholarships, lectures and mentoring schemes, connecting with audiences of all ages and backgrounds across the UK, Los Angeles and New York. BAFTA relies on income from membership subscriptions, individual donations, trusts, foundations and corporate partnerships to support its ongoing outreach work. To access the best creative minds in film, TV and games production, visit www.bafta.org/guru. For more information, visit www.bafta.org.
