After years of domination by AFI and USC students, BAFTA has expanded their Student Film Awards to include submissions from students and film schools worldwide.
No longer dubbed the “U.S. Student Film Award,” the 45 short films shortlisted for the 2017 “International Student Film Awards” hail from filmmakers in China, Israel, the Czech Republic, Mexico, Germany, and — of course — the U.K.
Southern California schools remain well represented with nominees from UCLA, Chapman, Pepperdine, USC and Cal State Northridge, and U.S. films still account for over half of the selections.
BAFTA’s competition is an analog to the Academy of Motion Pictures’ own Student Academy Awards.
“We are absolutely overwhelmed by the success of our international expansion,” Peter Morris, the Chair of the BAFTA Los Angeles New Talent Committee, said in a statement timed to the release of the nominated films.
“We had no doubt that there was an overabundance of talented students all across the world, and we are looking forward to having the opportunity to acknowledge their work at our ceremony in June,” he added.
The awards ceremony will take place on June 22 at The Theatre at Ace Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.
This year, select film schools worldwide were invited to submit up to nine films for consideration for four top prizes — the BAFTA Student Film Award for Animation, the Student Film Award for Documentary, the Student Film Award for Live Action Film, and the Special Jury Prize, selected by the event’s panel members.
Ryan Gosling and the “Stranger Things” stars at BAFTA LA’s Awards Season Tea in January 2017. (Getty Images)
Documentary submissions (up 85 percent from 2016) and animated features (up 84 percent) saw the biggest year-over-year increase in submissions, illuminating a trend in the next generation of filmmakers. Of note, four student films from Israel made the cut.
The Student Film Awards have taken root on BAFTA’s year-round schedule of programming in Los Angeles.
Kate Beckinsale and BAFTA LA’ CEO Chantal Rickards at the home of the British Consul General for the BAFTA Garden Party in June 2016. (Getty Images)
Their tentpoles include integration at the highest levels of the industry with the Britannia Awards, pre-Emmys TV Tea Party and the Golden Globes Weekend Tea Party during awards season.
They aggressively nurture the next generation of creatives with these Student Film Awards and the recently launched “Access for All” campaign, aimed at providing historically under-represented demographics with pathways in to careers in the entertainment industry.
11 Best 'American Idol' Performances of All Time (Videos)
Arguably the most successful "Idol" alum, Carrie Underwood has come a long way since winning Season 4, and her performance of Heart's "Alone" was an early look at the power and confidence that would define her career in the years to come.
Candice Glover stunned the "Idol" judges and audience with her rendition of The Cure's "Lovesong" on Season 12. Showcasing vocals more headline-worthy than the season's Nicki Minaj-Mariah Carey feud, Glover sealed her fate as the eventual winner.
Adam Lambert's impressive cover of Tears for Fears' "Mad World" cemented his status as Season 8's obvious frontrunner, making it all the more shocking when Kris Allen walked away victorious.
The natural star power that helped Kelly Clarkson's career skyrocket after winning Season 1 was never more apparent than when she killed her performance of Aretha Franklin's "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman."
Though she was eventually bested by Phillip Phillips, Jessica Sanchez ruled the "Idol" stage with a voice beyond her young years. Never was that more true than in her commanding Season 11 performance of the "Dreamgirls" torch song, "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going."
By the penultimate episode of Season 8, Kris Allen seemed like a long-shot to make it to the finale. But by putting his own spin on Kanye West's "Heartless," Allen won over fans and came out on top, besting frontrunner Lambert.
Though no one could have predicted that Jennifer Hudson would go on to win an Oscar, when the Season 3 contestant easily nailed Elton John's "Circle of Life," it was apparent that she was destined for greater than her eventual seventh-place finish.
Former back-up singer Melinda Doolittle didn't win Season 6, but her early performances, including a stellar rendition of Ella Fitzgerald's "My Funny Valentine," proved she had the refined talent of a seasoned pro.
Fantasia Barrino's performance of "Summertime" is such an iconic moment in "Idol's" 15-season run that the show brought the Season 3 winner back to perform the Ella Fitzgerald song on its farewell season.
Pint-sized powerhouse Haley Reinhart delivered a couple amazing performances during her run on Season 10, but her flawless cover of The Animal's "House of the Rising Sun" cover is what best cements the third-place finisher's status as the season's obvious standout.
In the Final 2 episode of Season 11, Phillip Phillips debuted his soon-to-be ubiquitous (thanks to the 2012 Summer Olympics) single "Home." The stirring performance won Phillips the crown and made him a household name.
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From Kelly Clarkson’s Aretha Franklin cover to Adam Lambert’s take on Tears for Fears, we look back at highlights from the show’s 15 seasons on Fox ahead of its ABC reboot
Arguably the most successful "Idol" alum, Carrie Underwood has come a long way since winning Season 4, and her performance of Heart's "Alone" was an early look at the power and confidence that would define her career in the years to come.
