Shorts Winners & Nominees Screenings

11 February 08

The Academy hosted a special event dedicated to screening the nominated and winning short and animated films from this year's Orange British Academy Film Awards.

Stills from BAFTA Shorts winners The Pearce Sisters and Dog Altogether.

The winners of the Short Film Award and the Short Animation Award were announced on Sunday 10 February at the Orange British Academy Film Awards. Paddy Considine's work Dog Altogether starring Peter Mullen scooped the Short Film Award and Luis Cook's amusing tale The Pearce Sisters took home the BAFTA for Short Animation.

The Academy recognises that it is essential to reward and nurture the immense diversity and talent demonstrated by filmmakers producing short film and animation. Shorts offer both new and established talent alike the chance to create experimental and innovative films and, by rewarding excellence within these fields, BAFTA aims to raise the profile of these talented individuals and of shorts in general.

All the nominated shorts, including the winners were screened at a special Academy Event on Thursday 21 February at our headquarters 195 Piccadilly.

The audience included many of the filmmakers, from producers to writers, directors and actors. Seven took to the stage to introduce their films, with introductions ranging from informative to thought provoking and funny, reflecting the content of the films themselves.

A packed Princess Anne Theatre enjoyed three Short Animations from The Crumblegiant – in which demons are recalled and banished in an elegantly-animated world, to Head Over Heels – a love story told through live action and cut-out animation. There was much amusement to be found in the winning film The Pearce Sisters, a pleasant surprise after writer/director Luis Cook advised the audience that the film was very bleak with no humour at all!

The Short Film Award nominees and winner also covered a wide range of subjects with the first two films heightening the tension. Soft, a disturbing story of teenage violence, intimidation and the morality of revenge, was followed by Hesitation, in which holidaymaker Paul develops an irrational hatred for a young French boy who is disturbing his peaceful holiday. The One and Only Herb MacGwyer Plays Wallis Island brought some light relief to the proceedings before Stronger – Frank McGuinness’s version of August Strindberg’s short play about the power of silence - and winning short film Dog Altogether - about a man who is plagued by a violence and rage that is driving him to self destruction - increased the intensity once again.

Following the screenings the audience and filmmakers headed to the Members Bar to digest and discuss the outstanding selection of films.