BFI Film Academy propels young film makers into the industry

Budding film makers stepped onto the red carpet and into the limelight as they premiered five short films inspired by the theme of home.

Hackney residents Amid Ojubanire, Daisy Japes-Wattam, Liam Abbott, Saskia de Borchgrave and Shashin Hall’s films were all screened at the Rich Mix Arts Centre in Bethnal Green Road, Shoreditch, to an audience of over a hundred as the culmination of a three-month BFI (British Film Institute) Film Academy project.

The participants on the course run by the based Eastside Educational Trust in Hackney Road, met industry professionals for master classes to develop sound, editing, lighting and screenwriting skills.

They then worked in five small groups to develop, script, shoot and edit their ideas, producing films exploring genres from psychological thrillers and documentaries, to rom-coms.

An award ceremony at Rich Mix celebrated the achievements of the 23 young people aged 16-19 who had taken part.

BFI’s head of education and skills, Nikki Christie spoke about the impact the network has already had in guiding young people to find suitable routes into film making, as one graduate of the course is now working as third assistant directors of feature films, while many others have been accepted onto film production university courses.

Pushing Daises – Seeing Red by Amid Ojubanire was voted as the audience’s favourite film.