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Students from across the world selected to receive BAFTA scholarships

September 30, 2020

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has announced the global recipients of its 2020/21 scholarships programme, supporting the study of film, games and television courses in the UK and US.

This year BAFTA has awarded 28 scholarships in total, 12 in the UK and a further 16 in the US.

In addition to financial aid totalling over £190,000 towards their annual course fees, the BAFTA Scholars will gain free access to BAFTA online events and resources as well as one-to-one mentoring from BAFTA award winners, nominees and members. Previous scholar mentors include Naomie Harris (Spectre), Maxine Peake (Shameless), Philippa Lowthorpe (Misbehaviour) and Tim Bevan (Bridget Jones).

This year’s 28 BAFTA scholars will be studying disciplines at various institutions ranging from the National Film and Television School, Christine Blundell Makeup Academy, Glasgow Caledonian University, The City College of New York, NYU Tisch School of the Arts and the American Film Institute,

Amanda Berry OBE, Chief Executive at BAFTA, said: “Our charitable activity sits at the heart of everything we do. For the last 18 years, BAFTA Scholarships have played a vital role in providing financial support for students who would not otherwise be able to further their education in film, games or television. Alongside this, BAFTA offers unique opportunities through mentoring and access to a wealth of online events. Congratulations to all of our 2020 scholars.”

Previous BAFTA Scholars have continued to thrive within the industry working on major, award-winning productions, such as director Aneil Karia (Top Boy), Sacha Gervasi (My Dinner with Herve, Hitchcock), visual effects artist Shivani Shah (The Lion King trailer, Avengers: Infinity War), make-up artist Alesha Ledeatte-Williams (No Time to Die) and actor Jurrell Carter (Kiri, Emmerdale).

The BAFTA Scholarships programme is made possible by the generous support of a number of individuals, foundations and partnerships.

This year for the first time, BAFTA has partnered with the Fulbright Commission to fund the Fulbright-BAFTA Scholarship, offering $60,000 to a UK student to pursue a master’s degree in film, or discipline related to the practical art forms of the moving image, at any accredited US university.

In the UK, for a seventh year, three students will receive the Prince William Scholarships in film, games and television, supported by BAFTA and Warner Bros., which are awarded in the name of HRH The Duke of Cambridge in his role as President of BAFTA. For the first time this year the Kirsh Foundation is also a named supporter of the UK scholarships programme and the Reuben Foundation is supporting for its third year.

In the US, BAFTA Scholarships are funded by philanthropist Mark Pigott KBE, as well as The Hunter Foundation, HBO, BBC America, DLT Entertainment, King Features Animation, and The Taffner Family Charitable Trust. The BAFTA Los Angeles scholarship programme has grown from supporting one single student at UCLA, to eight students studying a range of courses across the US. The BAFTA New York scholarship programme has grown from supporting four to eight students at prestigious institutions in New York.

The 2020/21 BAFTA Scholars are as follows:

Studying in the UK:

Amber Akaunu from Liverpool, England, will study an MA in Filmmaking (Screen Documentary) at Goldsmiths, University of London with financial support from the Kirsh Scholarship.

Scarlett Ward from Barking, London will study an MA in Television Fiction Writing at Glasgow Caledonian University with financial support from the Reuben Scholarship. Please note that Scarlett uses the pronouns they/them.

Georgia Ayling from Greenwich, London, will study an MSc Music & Sound for Film & Games, The University of Hertfordshire.

Jordan Antonowicz-Behnan from Hastings, Sussex, will study an MA in Animation at the Royal College of Art.

Alissa Harvey from Lee-On-The-Solent, Hampshire, will study Hair & Makeup at the Christine Blundell Makeup Academy with financial support from the Reuben Scholarship.

Sophie Capeci from Wandsworth, London, will study an MA in Games Design at the National Film and Television School with financial support from the Prince William Scholarship supported by BAFTA and Warner Bros.

Romeo Mika from Islington, London will study the BA (Hons) in Professional Acting at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts with financial support from the Kirsh Scholarship.

Maral Shafafy from Southwark, London will study an MA in TV Journalism at Goldsmiths, University of London with financial support from the Prince William Scholarship supported by BAFTA and Warner Bros.

Hayder Rothschild Hoozeer from Bedford, Bedfordshire, will study an MA in Producing at the National Film and Television School with financial support from the Kirsh Scholarship.

Cordelia Lawler from Ealing, London will study an MA in Cinematography at the National Film and Television School with financial support from the Prince William Scholarship supported by BAFTA and Warner Bros.

Emily Boreham (Prince William scholar) and Jon Crook (Reuben scholar), initially awarded their scholarships in 2019/20, will continue to receive support from BAFTA, Warner Bros. and the Reuben Foundation, having being awarded a second year of support for 2020/21.

Studying in the US:

Malobe Sampson II from Bronx, New York is studying an MFA in Film at the City College New York with financial support from the BAFTA New York Documentary Scholarship in honour of John F. Grist.

Hsuan-Wei (Jackson) Wu from New York is studying an MFA in Film at the City College New York with financial support from DLT Entertainment.

Auralynn Rosario from New York is studying an MFA in Film at the City College New York with financial support from the Jeff Hunter Charitable Trust.

Mariel Iezzoni from New York is studying an MFA in Film at the City College New York with financial support from the The Taffner Family Charitable Trust in honour of Donald Taffner, Sr. and Eleanor Taffner.

Nicholas Owoyemi from Brooklyn, New York, is studying an MFA in Cinema Arts—Digital Animation and Visual Effects at the Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema at Brooklyn College with financial support from the King Features Animation Scholarship.

Jess X. Snow, from New York is studying an MFA in Graduate Film at the NYU Tisch School of the Arts with financial support from the BBC America Diversity Scholarship. Please note that Jess uses the pronouns they/them.

Fran Zayas from New York is studying an MFA in Graduate Film from NYU Tisch School of the Arts with financial support from the BBC America Diversity Scholarship.

Derrick Woodyard from New York is studying an MFA in Graduate Film at the NYU Tisch School of the Arts with financial support from the HBO Scholarship.

Lily Freeston from Manchester, England, is studying an MFA in documentary filmmaking at the Northwestern University in Chicago with financial support from the Fulbright/BAFTA Scholarship.

Adam Baroukh from London, England is studying an MFA in Screenwriting and Directing at Columbia University in New York with financial support from the Pigott/BAFTA Scholarship.

Timothy Moorhouse from East London, England is studying an MFA in Screenwriting and Directing at Columbia University in New York with financial support from the Pigott/BAFTA Scholarship.

Jean Liu from Oxford, England is studying an MFA in Producing for Film, Television and New Media at the University of Southern California with financial support from the Pigott/BAFTA Scholarship.

Olive Nwosu from Lagos, Nigera is studying an MFA in Screenwriting at Columbia University in New York with financial support from the Pigott/BAFTA Scholarship.

Pip White from London, England is studying Cinematography at the American Film Institute in Los Angeles with financial support from the Pigott/BAFTA Scholarship.

Yvonne Zhang from Glasgow, Scotland is studying Directing at the American Film Institute in Los Angeles with financial support from the BAFTA LA Hunter Foundation Scholarship.

Stuart Bramwell from Shrewsbury, England is studying Scoring for Film, Television, and Video Games at the Berklee College of Music in Boston with financial support from the BAFTA LA Hunter Foundation Scholarship.

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