At the London Film School’s Annual Show on December 8, Mike Leigh, LFS Chairman and 1964 graduate, and new LFS director Jane Roscoe presented Honorary Associateships to director Richard Linklater, actor and director Ralph Fiennes, and Chief Executive of Women in Film and TV Kate Kinninmont MBE.
Associateships were then awarded to graduating students from the MA Filmmaking, MA Screenwriting and Fast Forward Producing programmes.
Mike Leigh said, “We welcome our new Honorary Associates and, as we head towards our 60th anniversary in 2016 and the move to the Barbican in 2017, we thank all the valued supporters and partners joining with us on this exciting journey”
Jane Roscoe said “I am delighted to take the helm in a year when we are celebrating so much talent and achievement. Congratulations to the class of 2014!”
The school celebrated a year of graduate achievements around the globe, a particular highlight the unprecedented success for LFS filmmakers at the Cannes Film Festival, where LEIDI, the 2014 graduation film of Simón Mesa Soto, was awarded the highest honour, the Palme d’Or for Best Short Film in Competition. It is the first time a British film school has won this prize. Six LFS graduates were in official selection in Cannes, including Mike Leigh with MR TURNER, which won two prizes and Juliano Ribeiro Salgado with THE SALT OF THE EARTH, co-directed with Wim Wenders, winner of the Un Certain Regard Special Jury Prize.
The submission list for the 2015 Foreign Language Oscars includes three LFS graduates. Ann Hui with THE GOLDEN ERA for Hong Kong, Mohamed Khan with FACTORY GIRL for Egypt and Leticia Tonos with CRISTO REY for The Dominican Republic. A clear testament to the School’s impact on world cinema.
Credit rolls have featured scores of LFS graduates in all the craft areas. Cinematographers have been particularly prolific, with more established names such as Jo Willems (THE HUNGER GAMES), Erik Wilson (PADDINGTON and 20,000 DAYS ON EARTH) and Ole Bratt Birkeland (THE MISSING) joined by recent graduates shooting their first features. The School’s long tradition of excellence in cinematography was marked by the introduction of a £10,000 Panalux sponsored award. Winners announced at the Annual Show were Mark Khalife, Yiannis Manolopoulos and Daniel Zafer.
During the past year, films made at the school had around 200 festival entries, winning over 30 prizes, The list spans Venice, Tribeca, Clermont Ferrand, The BFI London Film Festival, Edinburgh, Encounters and Sundance. 12 LFS graduates were selected for Palm Springs, 10 for Aesthetica and 14 for The London Short Film Festival.
This year the School also launched the MA International Film Business, in partnership with University of Exeter, and welcomed the first cohort of 29 students.
Further Information contact Kate Hughes [email protected] Tel 07788 432 852
www.lfs.org.uk
