Rob Munday
We’re a little late to the after-party, but Sunday night (Feb 2nd) saw the Royal Albert Hall, London, filled to the rafters with filmmaking royalty as the latest edition of the British Academy Film Award took place. With the awards overshadowed by criticisms surrounding the serious lack of diversity in the nominations, the night itself saw Sam Mendes’ 1917 the big winner, while Robert De Niro made all of us with short attention spans happy by admitting “it’s ok” for people not to watch The Irishman in one single sitting.
In the midst of all the glitz and glamour and the lack of nominations for Cats, you might have missed two important winners from the evening – the British Short Film and the British Short Animation awards:
Winner of the British Short Film award
Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You’re a Girl) by Carol Dysinger
With this award generally presented to short fiction films, 2020 marked the second year in a row (2019 saw S/W fav 73 Cows win) a Documentary short was rewarded with the prize. The story of young Afghan girls learning to read, write-and skateboard-in Kabul, Dysinger’s film is also hoping to scoop an Oscar (for Best Documentary Short Subject) in just under a week’s time.
Winner of the British Short Animation award
Grandad Was a Romantic by Maryam Mohajer
With the NFTS usually dominating this award over recent years, 2020 saw the prize go to RCA graduate Maryam Mohajer with this personal tale of her grandfather’s romantic nature. Dedicating the award to “the people of Iran”, Mohajer’s film continues its successful run – having played London Film Festival, Edinburgh, Encounters and more.
