LONDON, Feb 1 (ZIZ): The British Film Institute (BFI) has revealed the list of nominees for the BFI Future Film Festival 2024 Awards, featuring a diverse selection of fifty-five short films. The festival, renowned as the UK’s premier platform for emerging young filmmakers, is scheduled to take place from February 15 to 18 at BFI Southbank, with additional screenings online and in cinemas nationwide.
All films showcased at this year’s festival are eligible for the BFI Future Film Festival Awards 2024, sponsored by Netflix. The esteemed BFI Festival Jury will adjudicate three major awards: Best Film, Best Director, and Best New Talent, the latter recognizing promising filmmakers. Winners across nine categories stand to receive over £18,000 in prize money, BFI Player subscriptions, and mentorship opportunities from industry leaders. The awards ceremony will be held in person on February 18 at BFI Southbank, with a livestream available on the BFI YouTube channel.
The 2024 edition of the BFI Future Film Festival maintains its tradition of combining live and in-person events at BFI Southbank with a globally accessible online program. In an exciting development, the festival will also include a UK-wide program in collaboration with BFI Film Academy partners, supported by the National Lottery.
Screenwriter and producer Jesse Armstrong, known for his work on “Succession” and “Peep Show,” is set to participate in a headline Hot Spot session at BFI Southbank. Hot Spot sessions are a highlight of the festival, offering attendees the opportunity to gain insights from established professionals in the film industry.
Among the notable speakers announced for the festival are Maisie Williams, Lowri Roberts, and Hannah Marie Williams of Frank Film Club, filmmakers Jennifer Baichwal, Nicholas de Pencier, and Edward Burtynsky, as well as casting director Kelly Valentine Hendry. The diverse lineup also includes industry leaders from various fields such as publishing, television, and video games.
Various festival passes for BFI Southbank are now available for purchase, offering access to a range of events and screenings. The complete program and event schedule are accessible on the BFI website.
Nominees for this year’s awards represent a diverse array of fifty-five shorts crafted by filmmakers aged 16-25. Addressing a spectrum of topics, from mental health and sibling relationships to grief and the immigrant experience, these films showcase remarkable skill, creativity, and the potential for future stardom in the film industry, both within the UK and internationally.
2024 BFI Future Film Festival Nominees
Best New Talent (supported by Warner Bros. Discovery, judged by the BFI FFF Main Jury)
- ROOM (Ian Dani Kim, 2023): Stop motion animation exploring a teenager’s struggle with mental health.
- STIR (Tiffany Whitney Chang, 2023): Tensions rise during an annual dinner as women in the kitchen grapple with an unexpected predicament.
- THE BOSS LEVEL (Owen Heaton, 2023): Action-comedy following Rachel’s attempts to make an audition on time.
- THE DARKLING FOX (Henry Fish, 2023): A hunter is tormented by his former prey in an isolated woodland.
Best Director (supported by Triple Exposure, judged by the BFI FFF Main Jury)
- ALL UP THERE (Bonnie MacRae, 2022): A portrait of youth, womanhood, and medical misogyny.
- CARIAD BRAWDOL (Rhys Prichard, 2022): Follows two brothers on their final day together before one departs for university.
- DOG FACTORY (Brody Salmon, 2023): Two brothers play in the apocalyptic ruins of a Lancashire mill town.
- WHEN ALL IS SAID & DONE (Satchel Aubrey, 2023): Chronicles how Lucy and Jaswant’s plans to move out of their university housing become emotionally charged.
Best Film (supported by the Uggla Family Foundation, judged by the BFI FFF Main Jury)
- DOG FACTORY (Brody Salmon, 2023): Two brothers play in the apocalyptic ruins of a Lancashire mill town.
- THE LAST SEPTEMBER (Sophia Shi, 2022): Follows an Asian-American high schooler under the stress of college applications.
- THE THIRD EAR (Nathan Ginter, 2023): Follows a life drawing model whose self-image spirals after a botched depiction.
- TIPSY SUGAR FLIPPING (Amber Clarke-McGrath, 2023): Depicts three best friends on a drug-fueled night out.
Best Animation (supported by BlinkInk, judged by Bart Yates – BlinkInk)
- APPETITE (Peiying Wang, 2023): Explores the link between food and sex.
- BIRD DRONE (Radheya Jegatheva, 2023): Follows a lonely seagull looking for love.
- MAKING IT UP (Alice Guymer, 2023): Weaves together themes of consumerism, standards of beauty, and social media.
- PILLS! PILLS! PILLS! (Kate Saltel, 2023): Follows a shy intern’s first day at a pharmaceutical company.
- TO THE BRINK (Hugo Docking, 2023): A violent stop-motion cabaret.
Best Documentary (supported by Netflix, judged by Reva Sharma – Netflix)
- AWAY FROM THE FIELDS (Safeen James, 2022): Follows three Nigerian boys on a colourful journey of discovery in London.
- GUARDIANS (Minerva Navasca, 2021): Walks through the psychological reality of a girl’s journey home on foot.
- LONDON’S ROCKETSHIP LAUNCHERS (Julia Mervis, 2022): Follows the filmmaker’s quest to uncover the purpose of metal frameworks in London.
- PLEASE BE HAPPY (Elif Gönen, 2023): Experimental documentary exploring relationship dynamics within three families.
- THE SKATEBOOK (Sofia Negri, 2022): Animated documentary featuring voices from the London skateboard scene.
Best Experimental (supported by Black Dog Films, judged by Martin Roker – Black Dog Films)
- AND HOW MISERABLE IS THE HOME OF EVIL (Saleh Kashefi, 2023): A dictator spends his last moments in silent contemplation.
- DREAM FACTORY (Alex Matraxia, 2023): Explores the historical role of cinemas as queer cruising grounds.
- LUCIDITY (Kit Warner, 2023): The ominous and ethereal experience of a photographer.
- PILLS! PILLS! PILLS! (Kate Saltel, 2023): Follows a shy intern’s first day at a pharmaceutical company.
- SÆKÝR (Edith Morris, 2023): Captures Stöðvarfjörður, a remote fishing village in Iceland.
Best International (supported by The London School of English, judged by Timothy Blake – The London School of English)
- AND HOW MISERABLE IS THE HOME OF EVIL (Saleh Kashefi, 2023): A dictator spends his last moments in silent contemplation.
- DREAMS OF HOME (Justin Kaminuma, 2023): A visual poem crafted from footage of the filmmaker’s life.
- FIRST NIGHT (Haneol Lee, 2023): Explores the isolation of the immigrant experience.
- FLOWERBOY (Nicolas Schönberger, Thomas Hütte 2023): Can read customers like an open book.
- LAST SEEN (Wiktoria Weintritt, 2023): Wiktoria ruminates on her last memory of seeing her father.
- LILLO (Andrea Figueroa Chávez, 2023): Follows a boy grieving the loss of his father.
- PALLBEARER (Martin Crasborn, 2023): Follows the budding relationship between two young pallbearers.
- ROCK SPRINGS (David Huang, 2023): A Chinese miner forced to make a difficult decision.
Best Micro Short (supported by Chapman Charitable Trust, judged by BFI Film Academy Young Programmers)
- 36,000 WORDS FOR LOVE (Zeb Goriely, 2023): Experimental film documenting a weekend spent at the filmmaker’s home.
- ANNA MCGEE’S WILD RIDE (Ava Bounds, 2023): Offers a snapshot of the absurdity of life for a teenager on the cusp of adulthood.
- LOVESHOTS (Pauliina Leskinen, 2023): Questions whether digital love is less demanding than in real life.
- PILLS! PILLS! PILLS! (Kate Saltel, 2023): Follows a shy intern’s first day at a pharmaceutical company.
- THE OATH (Jeffrey Lo, 2022): Catherine musing on her national identity as she prepares for her USA naturalisation ceremony.
Best Writer (supported by Action Xtreme, judged by Chee Keong Cheung – Action Xtreme)
- ARE YOU OKAY? (Jack McLoughlin, 2023): Carl and his sister Leanne forced to confront dark truths on a journey for mental health support.
- DOUBLE VODKA AND BLACKCURRANT (Dean Conway, 2023): A hungover university student procrastinates with her best friends.
- FIRST NIGHT (Haneol Lee, 2023): Explores the isolation of the immigrant experience.
- GHOST INSURANCE (Django Pinter, 2023): Follows a charismatic door-to-door Ghost Insurance salesman.
