- BAFTA ANNOUNCES SITING YANG AS SIXTH 2024 BAFTA-YUGO SHORT FILM COMMISSIONING GRANT RECIPIENT
- Part of its expanded learning, inclusion and talent programs in North America
- BAFTA North America supports over 250 active learning, inclusion and talent program participants annually
- In 2024 over 5,000 students and young creatives have been reached and supported by BAFTA’s educational programming
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Los Angeles, December 19, 2024: BAFTA North America is pleased to announce the sixth BAFTA-Yugo Short Film Commissioning Grant of $12,000 USD will be awarded to filmmaker and artist, Siting Yang. The commissioning grant supports a short film project that takes an original approach on the subject of sustainability and related topics.
Siting is a filmmaker and artist from Beijing, based in New York. Her films often explore the inner worlds of women and creatives while striving to unfold social and interpersonal truths. She wrote, directed, produced, edited, and starred in the short film Blue Reverie, which won the Jury Prize at the 50th USA Film Festival, among other international awards. During her time as MAD Architects’ first in-house filmmaker, she created the short film Hutong Bubble, selected for the 2021 Architecture Design Art Film Festival. She also created a live-action and hand-drawn animated short, in which she used figure skating to portray a character’s inner symphony through physicality and movement. The film was screened at the Times Art Museum in Beijing. Siting graduated from the School of Visual Arts with a degree in Film Directing, and has attended Parsons School of Design where she studied Illustration and Architecture. She’s been recognized by the Beijing Liangjie Culture Media Emerging Directors Program and is a current BAFTA Connect member.
“Siting Yang’s selection as the recipient of the BAFTA-Yugo Short Film Commissioning Grant exemplifies the incredible talent, creativity, and drive of the next generation of filmmakers. BAFTA is dedicated to breaking down the barriers that talented individuals from all backgrounds face when pursuing and advancing careers in our industry. From school programming across the U.S. to international student competitions, we are committed to fostering opportunities that inspire emerging voices and shape the future of our creative community across the screen arts,” said Courtney LaBarge Bell, Executive Director of BAFTA US. “With initiatives like the BAFTA-Yugo Commissioning Grant and the launch of new mentorship programs in 2024, we are proud to cap an impactful year by providing critical financial and developmental support to projects that align with our mission as an arts organization. Congratulations to Siting on this well-deserved recognition, and we look forward to seeing her vision come to life.”
“Siting Yang’s recognition with the BAFTA-Yugo Short Film Commissioning Grant highlights the exceptional talent, versatility and ambition of today’s emerging filmmakers,” said Joe Persechino, Chief Operating Officer of Yugo.
“At Yugo, we are deeply committed to empowering students to live their best lives, fostering their creative and professional growth both on and off campus. This winning film presents a compelling study of consumerism through the lens of sustainability, which reflects Yugo’s goals in empowering students to explore their fullest potential and better the planet.”
BAFTA North America is a 501c3 not-for-profit organization focused on championing creativity, opportunity, and social change for all through the transformative power of film, games and television. Through its programming, the organization works to positively impact the screen industries to create a more fair and sustainable environment. In 2024 BAFTA North America directly supported students at John F. Kennedy High School in Granada Hills with a 10-week script writing mentorship in addition to programming monthly workshops with above and below the line professionals for the students of the Vance Byrd Mentorship Program. Additionally, BAFTA committed over $100,000 to 13 US scholars studying Film and Television Production, Screenwriting and Animation at universities including University of California, Los Angeles, University of Southern California, New York University and Chapman University.
The Yugo BAFTA Student Awards in July celebrated their 20th anniversary of recognizing the next generation of talented filmmakers and creatives from around the globe and recognized films in categories including Animation, Documentary and Live Action, Games and Immersive categories, As one of BAFTA’s most international initiatives, the 2024 winners were selected from from over 800 submissions by a jury of BAFTA members. These submissions represented 109 schools across 37 countries.
This year marks the sixth BAFTA-Yugo Short Film Commissioning Grant. The winning project was selected by the BAFTA-Yugo Grant Jury, comprised of Head of Climate at BAFTA albert, Catherine Ellis, Senior Director at Rare Entertainment Lab, Ellis Watamanuk, Development Executive, Kelly Edwards, Actors Aja Naomi King (Lessons in Chemistry), Antonia Gentry (Ginny and Georgia), Brittany O’Grady (The White Lotus), Francesca Amewudah-Rivers (Bad Education), Laura Harrier (Spiderman: Homecoming), Nicolette Robinson (Homecoming), Director and Writer Azazel Jacobs (His Three Daughters), Director and Former Commissioning Grant recipient, Fredrica Belletti, Writer and Producer Moisés Zamora (Selena: The Series), Producer Riccardo Maddalosso (How to Blow Up A Pipeline), Producer Robert Schwartzman (The Last Showgirl).
About BAFTA
BAFTA’s mission as a charity is to champion the creative and cultural importance of the screen arts across film, games and television. Through its Awards ceremonies and year-round programme of talent initiatives and learning events that include masterclasses, lectures, scholarships, bursaries and mentoring schemes in the UK and North America, BAFTA identifies and celebrates excellence, discovers, inspires and nurtures new screen talent, and enables learning and creative collaboration. For more, visit www.bafta.org. BAFTA is a registered charity (no. 216726)
About Yugo
Yugo is the first global student housing brand and operator created to enhance students’ overall experiences throughout and beyond college life. Yugo offers a truly differentiated living experience that is environmentally and socially conscious, emotionally supportive, and safe.
At Yugo, students are empowered to grow personally through collaborative events and projects under the Live Your Best Life program – a holistic living experience developed from the Yugo research of thousands of students worldwide. This program supports students through three pillars based on sustainability – YugoEco, education – YuPro, personal development – YuGrow, to deliver on their needs and expectations.
Yugo is the operator of over 110 student living spaces located in nine countries with over 40,000 student beds in over 70 of the top cities in the world for higher education.
Yugo is part of The Dot Group, founded by Nicholas Porter, a pioneer in global student living with more than 30 years of experience.
Learn more at www.yugo.com. Media contacts [email protected]
