Press Release
UK TALENT CELEBRATED AT HOUSE OF LORDS AS FILM THE HOUSE WINNERS ARE ANNOUNCED
8 March 2022
MPs and Lords joined key members of the film and television industry to celebrate the Film the House Awards ceremony at the House of Lords on Tuesday 8 March. The next generation of UK’s scriptwriters, directors and filmmakers were announced at the champagne reception, hosted by Absolutely Fabulous star and comedian Helen Lederer.
The annual competition is run in collaboration with MPs and industry professionals as a creative way of highlighting the importance of intellectual property (IP) rights to both creators and MPs. Parliamentary sponsors of this year’s competition were The Earl of Clancarty, Lord Clement-Jones, Jo Stevens MP and Giles Watling MP. The late MP and campaigner for the creative industries Mike Weatherley was remembered for his key role in founding Film the House in 2012.
This year, the competition received entries from 136 constituencies across the UK in a range of categories including Best Script, Best Short Film, and the Directors UK awards for Best Film Direction. Winners received Film the House trophies, cash prizes, a certificate of classification for their film from the British Board of Film Classification, as well as mentoring sessions from industry professionals.
The Directors UK judging panel included members and directors Mo Ali, Bill Anderson and Georgie Yukiko Donovan.
We're delighted to announce the winners of the Directors UK awards for Best Film Direction:
Directors UK Best Film Direction Under 19
We're delighted to announce the winners of the Directors UK awards for Best Film Direction:
Directors UK Best Film Direction Under 19
Freya Hannan-Mills – I’ll Be Back Tomorrow… (Dame Angela Eagle MP, Wallasey)
Directors UK judges said: “Freya has such a strong visual voice. I’ll Be Back Tomorrow is a really personal piece with great texture, a surrealist vibe and a poetic anxiety to the storytelling. We are bowled over by what Freya has achieved with this film.”
Directors UK Best Film Direction Over 19
Ben Hector – 22. Anna Matthews (Michael Tomlinson MP, Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Directors UK judges said: “22. Anna Matthews delivers extraordinary emotional complexity and depth with immaculate precision. There isn’t a frame wasted in this beautifully spare and lean film – we all agree that Ben has conjured a mesmerising story.”
Cass Virdee is specially commended in this category for her film, 51 States (Karen Buck MP, Westminster North), with Directors UK judges commenting: "Cass has a clear voice and is an ambitious director - we got lost in the world they created so deftly. An important, timely and eloquent film – we implore everyone reading this to watch this important film and feel something, see something you might not have before.”
Film the House commented: “The creative industries are one of the UK’s biggest successes. Each year, the creative industries contribute over £115billion to the UK economy and employ over two million people, making them the UK’s fastest-growing sector. It’s our job to nurture that creativity, which means protecting copyright and enabling the UK’s homegrown talent to flourish.”
Helen Lederer, writer, comedian and Film the House comperesaid: “It was such a pleasure helping to celebrate up-and-coming British film talent. Creative competitions like Film the House provide an opportunity for creators to get involved in the industry. They also highlight the real importance of IP to MPs and creatives alike. Huge congratulations to the winners and shortlist of this year’s competition. We look forward to seeing much more of you all in the future!”
Lord Tim Clement-Jones said: “Intellectual property (IP) is a vital way of making sure that creators are properly rewarded for the artistic works they produce. This is as true for film and other visual media as it is for books, fashion or music. Film the House is designed to highlight the importance we place in parliament on IP and on good IP protection and enforcement. We hope that for their part, creators will respond by taking part in future Film the House competitions and demonstrate the huge audiovisual and writing talent that we have in this country.”
An expert industry panel of leading figures from across Britain’s creative landscape chose the finalists, including Trevor Albery, Warner Bros; Mo Ali, director; Bill Anderson, director; Sasha Collington, scriptwriter; Caroline D’Silva, MPA; Ben King, Netflix; Line Langebek, scriptwriter;Jonathan Lewsley, Amazon; Paul Powell, scriptwriter; Brittany Taylor-Kirk, BBFC; Charlotte Tudor, Disney; Nigel Warner, MPA; Georgie Yukiko Donovan, director. Winners of the competition received prizes including a Scriptwriting and directorial mentoring, Film the House award trophy, cash prize and a BBFC certificate of classification.
The Film the House competition enjoys widespread industry support. It is proudly sponsored by ALCS, The Walt Disney Company, Paramount Global, The Motion Picture Association, Directors UK, Netflix, Prime Video, and WarnerMedia.
Other winners included:
Best Film Script Under 19
Charlotte Roberts – If you have been murdered please press 3(David Rutley MP, Macclesfield)
The judges said: “An imaginative and highly original piece of writing, with impressive attention to character and a sense of place. A smart meditation on fate and mortality.”
Best Film Script Over 19
Taiyo Yoshida – Get in the Groove (Vicky Foxcroft MP, Lewisham Deptford)
The judges said: “Concise story-telling, powerful visuals and well-drawn characters make this script hard to forget. Taiyo takes us on an emotional journey, with heart and humour along the way.”
Best Short Film Under 19
Saul Bell-West – Deserter (Selaine Saxby MP, North Devon)
The judges said: “Simple, but highly effective, production design and cinematography were used to capture shifts in time and emotion to create a poignant and memorable short film.”
Best Short Film Over 19
Rosie Westhoff – Our Sister (Stella Creasy MP, Walthamstow)
One of the judges said: “Our Sister explores the themes of love, isolation and heart-wrenching grief in one of the most intimate OVER 19 and powerfully emotional films of the shortlist. Tenderly shot, this film stopped me in my tracks, took my breath away and has stayed with me ever since.”
For further information please visit filmthehouse.co.uk, contact [email protected] or call 020 7264 5700. Images of the event are available on request.
About the sponsors:
About the Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society
The Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS) is a not-for-profit membership organisation set up by writers, for writers. We support, champion and fight for authors. We pay writers royalties for the secondary use of their work, campaign for and protect their rights. Today, ALCS represents more than 114,000 members internationally and since its inception in 1977, it’s paid out over £570 million to writers. There is no other organisation quite like us. www.alcs.co.uk
About Disney
Disney, together with its subsidiaries, is a diversified worldwide entertainment company with operations in four business segments: Media Networks; Parks, Experiences and Products; Studio Entertainment; and Direct-to-Consumer and International.
Disney, together with its subsidiaries, is a diversified worldwide entertainment company with operations in four business segments: Media Networks; Parks, Experiences and Products; Studio Entertainment; and Direct-to-Consumer and International.
About The Motion Picture Association
The Motion Picture Association, Inc. (MPA) serves as the global voice and advocate of the motion picture, home video, and television industries. It works in every corner of the globe to advance the creative industry, protect its members’ content across all screens, defend the creative and artistic freedoms of storytellers, and support innovative distribution models that bring an expansion of viewing choices to audiences around the world.
Its member studios are: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures; Netflix, Inc.; Paramount Pictures Corporation; Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc.; Universal City Studios LLC; and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
About Paramount Global
Paramount Global is home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms in over 160 countries and territories.
Paramount Global is home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms in over 160 countries and territories.
About Directors UK
Directors UK is the professional association of UK screen directors. It is a membership organisation representing the creative, economic and contractual interests of over 8,000 members – the majority of working TV and film directors in the UK. Directors UK negotiates rights deals and collects and distributes royalties to its members. It also campaigns and lobbies on its members’ behalf and provides a range of services including legal advice, events and career development. Directors UK works closely with fellow organisations around the world to represent directors’ rights and concerns, promotes excellence in the craft of direction and champions change to the current landscape to create an equal opportunity industry for all.
Directors UK is the professional association of UK screen directors. It is a membership organisation representing the creative, economic and contractual interests of over 8,000 members – the majority of working TV and film directors in the UK. Directors UK negotiates rights deals and collects and distributes royalties to its members. It also campaigns and lobbies on its members’ behalf and provides a range of services including legal advice, events and career development. Directors UK works closely with fellow organisations around the world to represent directors’ rights and concerns, promotes excellence in the craft of direction and champions change to the current landscape to create an equal opportunity industry for all.
About Netflix
Netflix is the world's leading streaming entertainment service with 214 million paid memberships in over 190 countries enjoying TV series, documentaries, feature films and mobile games across a wide variety of genres and languages. Members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on any Internet-connected screen. Members can play, pause and resume watching, all without commercials or commitments.
Netflix is the world's leading streaming entertainment service with 214 million paid memberships in over 190 countries enjoying TV series, documentaries, feature films and mobile games across a wide variety of genres and languages. Members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on any Internet-connected screen. Members can play, pause and resume watching, all without commercials or commitments.
About Prime Video
Prime Video is one of the world’s leading streaming and on-demand services, offering customers a vast collection of TV shows, movies, sport and more — all available to watch on practically any device. Now available in more than 240 countries and territories, Prime Video offers a broad selection of any on-demand video service, including critically-acclaimed Amazon Originals Series such as the multi-award-winning The Marvellous Mrs. Maisel, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, The Boys; UK-produced hit Amazon Original series like Good Omens, The Grand Tour, Clarkson’s Farm and forthcoming drama series The Power, Jungle and The Rig. Plus live sport including English Premier League football and the Autumn Nations Rugby Tournament. All available as part of a Prime membership for just £79 per year or £7.99 a month. New customers can find out more at www.amazon.co.uk/primevideo and subscribe to a free 30-day trial.
Prime Video is one of the world’s leading streaming and on-demand services, offering customers a vast collection of TV shows, movies, sport and more — all available to watch on practically any device. Now available in more than 240 countries and territories, Prime Video offers a broad selection of any on-demand video service, including critically-acclaimed Amazon Originals Series such as the multi-award-winning The Marvellous Mrs. Maisel, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, The Boys; UK-produced hit Amazon Original series like Good Omens, The Grand Tour, Clarkson’s Farm and forthcoming drama series The Power, Jungle and The Rig. Plus live sport including English Premier League football and the Autumn Nations Rugby Tournament. All available as part of a Prime membership for just £79 per year or £7.99 a month. New customers can find out more at www.amazon.co.uk/primevideo and subscribe to a free 30-day trial.
About WarnerMedia
WarnerMedia is a leading media and entertainment company that creates and distributes premium and popular content from a diverse array of talented storytellers and journalists to global audiences through its consumer brands including: HBO, HBO Max, Warner Bros., TNT, TBS, truTV, CNN, DC Entertainment, New Line, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Turner Classic Movies and others. The organization also includes Xandr’s suite of advanced advertising solutions designed to help to improve advertising for brands, publishers, and consumers. WarnerMedia is part of AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T).
WarnerMedia is a leading media and entertainment company that creates and distributes premium and popular content from a diverse array of talented storytellers and journalists to global audiences through its consumer brands including: HBO, HBO Max, Warner Bros., TNT, TBS, truTV, CNN, DC Entertainment, New Line, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Turner Classic Movies and others. The organization also includes Xandr’s suite of advanced advertising solutions designed to help to improve advertising for brands, publishers, and consumers. WarnerMedia is part of AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T).
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