London, 5 September 2019: On 16 September, BAFTA’s president, His Royal Highness The Duke of Cambridge, will officially launch BAFTA Piccadilly, home to a new, free public exhibition and café in the heart of London.
At the BAFTA: Behind the Screens exhibition, visitors will discover inspiring stories from the award-winning people who write, make, shoot and shape what we see on screen. The exhibition celebrates the creativity and talent of BAFTA winners and nominees, featuring annotated scripts, handcrafted models, audio-visual displays and costumes, including the iconic pink dress worn by Killing Eve’s assassin, Villanelle. Over the next two years, the exhibition will be regularly updated to reflect the broad range of crafts and awards categories.
Amanda Berry OBE, Chief Executive of BAFTA, said: “Behind every BAFTA-nominated film, game or television programme are immense creativity and incredible technical skills, delivered by literally hundreds of people who are passionate about their craft. Our ever-changing exhibition will shine a light on these nominees and their personal journeys, inspiring visitors to BAFTA Piccadilly as well as the next generation of talent that BAFTA nurtures, develops and supports year-round.”
BAFTA: Behind the Screens is open to the public from Tuesday 17 September 2019 at BAFTA Piccadilly, 194 Piccadilly, London. No reservation required. For opening hours and further updates on the exhibition, visit www.baftapiccadilly.co.uk.
About the exhibition
Television fans will be able to see Phoebe De Gaye’s costume design from series one of Killing Eve, including the iconic Molly Goddard pink dress paired with the original Balenciaga boots worn by Jodie Comer in her BAFTA-winning performance as assassin Villanelle.
Visitors can explore the intricately crafted hair and make-up design for multiple BAFTA-winning film The Favourite or travel back in time to the 1950s and see the shooting script from David Lean’s Summertime (coming soon). Get an insight into Chiwetel Ejiofor’s research and preparation for the role that won him the BAFTA for Leading Actor in 2014 as Solomon Northrup in Steve McQueen’s 12 Years A Slave. Film Not in the English Language nominee, Capernaum, will be featured through Nadine Labaki’s work with non-professional child actors, plus the work behind the BAFTA-nominated score of Interstellar will be explored.
The exhibition will also explore award-winning children’s television. As the Clangers celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, see Peter Firmin’s creative development for what later became the BAFTA-winning episode ‘I am the Eggbot’ in 2015, and a look back to where it all began with the annotated script and full episode for ‘The Tablecloth’ from 1971.
Daniel Postgate, scriptwriter on the Clangers and son of creator Oliver Postgate, said: “I’m delighted and flattered that BAFTA has chosen to include the Clangers in its new series of exhibitions. It’s a great opportunity to take a peek ‘under the bonnet’ at how ideas from both the new and the classic series were dreamed up and developed, from scribbles on paper to the final award-winning TV show.”
Recognising all creative screen industries, BAFTA: Behind the Screens explores the inspiring work of games creatives. Lumino City, the puzzle adventure game from State of Play, will feature with a deeper look into the Diner level, including early stage sketches and an original hand-built model of the level. In addition, see the original concept artwork behind indie puzzle game Monument Valley, explore the intricate construction and mechanics behind the levels in the game with in-engine recordings, as well as hand-drawn sketches of idea and character development.
As previously announced, BAFTA Piccadilly will act as a temporary home for BAFTA over the next two years, while 195 Piccadilly next door undergoes a multi-million-pound redevelopment to double BAFTA’s charitable work with new and emerging talent.
ENDS
For further information, please contact:
Sophie Dudhill
Press Officer at BAFTA
T: 020 7292 5863
Notes to editors
The official launch of BAFTA: Behind the Screens takes place on 16 September 2019, with public access available from 17 September. More information will be released on the exhibition as the installations change and evolve over the two years.
More about works on display from September and the BAFTA wins and nominations they have received:
12 YEARS A SLAVE
12 Years A Slave is a multi-award-winning 2013 film that tells the true story of a free African American who is sold into slavery. In his 12th year of slavery, he meets a Canadian abolitionist who changes his life forever. The title won the BAFTA for Best Film, with Chiwetel Ejiofor winning the Actor in a Leading Role BAFTA for his performance. The exhibition will showcase Ejiofor’s research and character preparation for the demanding role.
WINS – British Academy Film Awards 2014: Film and Leading Actor
NOMINATIONS – British Academy Film Awards 2014: Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, Director, Editing, Original Music, Production Design, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress
CAPERNAUM
Capernaum is a 2018 Lebanese film that follows a 12-year-old boy who runs away from his parents, commits a violent crime, and is sentenced to five years jail time before suing his parents for the life they have given him. Directed by Nadine Labaki, the film explores the world through the eyes of a child who has suffered as a result of decisions made by the adults who control the world’s systems and governments. Labaki cast novice actors, including 12-year-old Syrian refugee Zain Al Rafeea as the protagonist. The exhibition will feature a look into Labaki’s work with non-professional child actors in Beirut during the film’s production.
NOMINATION – British Academy Film Awards 2019: Film Not in the English Language
CLANGERS
Originating in 1969, Clangers is a stop-motion children’s series depicting a family of shrew-like creatures who live on a small planet, communicating only in whistle sounds. The original production ran until 1972 before being redeveloped in 2015. In celebration of its 50th anniversary, scripts and development documents for Clangers will be on show, including original ideas and script samples. A vintage episode ‘The Tablecloth’ (1971) will play alongside a contemporary episode ‘I am the Eggbot’ (2015), giving visitors an overview of the series and its 50-year journey. Illustrator Peter Firmin’s original hand-drawn sketches for character development of the Octabots – which later became the BAFTA-winning ‘I Am the Eggbot’ episode – will also be on display.
WIN – British Academy Children’s Awards 2015: Pre-School Animation
NOMINATIONS – British Academy Children’s Awards 2016: Writer and Pre-School Animation
British Academy Children’s Awards 2018: Pre-School Animation
THE FAVOURITE
The Favourite is Yorgos Lanthimos’ period film about Queen Anne and two women in her court who seek her favour, in the interest of political power. The film received widespread critical acclaim for its performances, screenplay and achievements in cinematography. The exhibition celebrates the work of BAFTA-winning hair and make-up designer Nadia Stacey, with a character wig, a section of the script, and Stacey’s character breakdown for Abigail (Emma Stone) demonstrating the development of a character through the craft of hair and make-up.
WINS – British Academy Film Awards 2019: Outstanding British Film, Original Screenplay, Production Design, Costume Design, Supporting Actress (Rachel Weisz), Leading Actress, and Make Up and Hair.
NOMINATIONS – British Academy Film Awards 2019: Best Film, Cinematography, Director, Editing and Supporting Actress (Emma Stone)
INTERSTELLAR
In Interstellar, as Earth becomes uninhabitable, a team of NASA researchers travel across the galaxy to find the most suitable new home for humankind. The film was a commercial and critical success, acclaimed for its visual effects, musical score and performances. The exhibition highlights the creative work of the film’s composer Hans Zimmer and his collaboration with director Christopher Nolan in creating the BAFTA-nominated score.
WIN – British Academy Film Awards 2015: Special Visual Effects
NOMINATIONS – British Academy Film Awards 2015: Cinematography, Original Music and Production Design
KILLING EVE
Killing Eve follows British intelligence investigator Eve as she tracks down psychopathic assassin Villanelle, who is equally captivated by her pursuer. The chase takes them all over Europe as Eve uncovers information about Villanelle’s work. As well as earning numerous awards for its performances and production, the show has been lauded for its costume design, namely Villanelle’s extravagant outfits, several of which will be displayed at BAFTA Piccadilly. Original costumes from season one will be on show, including Villanelle’s iconic pink dress by Molly Goddard, paired with the Balenciaga boots, and the costume worn by Jodie Comer in the final scene of season one. The exhibit will also feature production stills from the show.
WINS – British Academy Television Awards 2019: Drama Series, Leading Actress (Jodie Comer) and Supporting Actress
British Academy Television Craft Awards 2019: Original Music and Sound: Fiction
NOMINATIONS – British Academy Television Awards 2019: Supporting Actor and Leading Actress (Sandra Oh)
British Academy Television Craft Awards 2019: Costume Design, Director: Fiction, Editing: Fiction, Photography and Lighting: Fiction, Production Design, Tiles and Graphic Identity, and Writer: Drama
LUMINO CITY
Lumino City is an award-winning puzzle adventure game made entirely by hand using paper, card, wood, miniature lights and motors. In the game, Lumi’s grandfather, caretaker of Lumino City has been kidnapped. To find him, Lumi must explore the city and figure out the peculiar and fascinating mechanisms that power it, and uncover the mysterious secrets of the city. The exhibition will feature a deeper look into the Diner level of the game, including an interview with State of Play co-founder and lead designer Luke Whittaker, plus early sketches of the level outlines, the initial plot development document, and an original hand-built model of the level.
WIN – British Academy Games Awards 2015: Artistic Achievement
NOMINATIONS – British Academy Games Awards 2015: Game Innovation and British Game
MONUMENT VALLEY
Award-winning game Monument Valley involves leading the princess Ida through mazes of optical illusions and impossible geometric spaces while reconstructing the game’s environment to advance to different platforms. Game Designer Ken Wong intended the game to emphasise the experience of exploration rather than a tough challenge, and it has been notably commended for its visuals and sound design. An interview with the game’s Producer Dan Gray accompanies original concept artwork and hand-drawn sketches showing character development and the game’s mechanics process. In-game stills from various levels also demonstrate the range of difficulty within the game’s design.
WINS – British Academy Games Awards 2015: Mobile & Handheld and British Game
NOMINATIONS – British Academy Games Awards 2018: Mobile Game, Family and British Game
British Academy Children’s Awards 2017: Game
British Academy Games Awards 2015: Best Game, Original Property and Artistic Achievement
SUMMERTIME (coming soon)
David Lean’s Summertime (released in the UK as Summer Madness) tells the story of Jane, played by Katharine Hepburn, who spends a summer in Venice where she has an affair with the man of her dreams before finding out he is already married. The Production Code Administration had the film cut heavily due to its depiction of an adulterous affair, but Lean still described the film as his favourite. Annotated pages of Lean’s original shooting script for Summertime (1955) are displayed alongside an original Arriflex camera used in the 1950s and the film’s original poster. Stills from the BFI national archive will also be on show.
NOMINATIONS – British Academy Film Awards 1956: Foreign Actress and Film From Any Source