Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire closed the 2008 festival and screened to huge acclaim on its way to worldwide box office and awards success.

The award for Best British Newcomer is presented in partnership with Swarovski and honours new and emerging film talent, recognising the achievements of a new writer, producer, director, actor or actress. 

This year’s jury is drawn from across the British film industry and includes Andrea Calderwood, Antonia Bird, David Morrissey, Mike Goodridge, editor of Screen International and Tony Grisoni.

The shortlist for Best British Newcomer is:

-Brian Welsh               Director/Writer       In Our Name
-Clio Barnard              Director/Writer       The Arbor
-Richard Ayoade            Director/Writer       Submarine
-Michelle Eastwood         Producer              In Our Name
-Tracy O’Riordan           Producer              The Arbor
-Conor Mccarron            Actor                 Neds
-Craig Roberts             Actor                 Submarine
-Manjinder Virk            Actress               The Arbor

David Morrissey comments: "It’s a great privilege for me to be on the Best British Newcomer Jury at the LFF this year and that the festival continues to support new and innovative talent in Britain.

"It’s such a strong year and fills me with hope for the future of our industry, if, of course, we can find government support and funding for these nominees to go on and become world renowned film makers."

The Sutherland Award is presented to the director of the most original and imaginative feature debut in the festival. 

The jury for this prestigious and longstanding award includes Ed Fletcher Managing Director of Soda Pictures, Esther Freud, Michael Winterbottom, Olivia Williams, Rebecca O’Brien, Stephen Poliakoff, Stuart Boreman, Director of Film Buying at Vue Entertainment, and Will Gompertz, BBC Arts Editor.

The previously announced Sutherland shortlist is: The Arbor, Don’T Be Afraid, Bi!, Leap Year, Love Like Poison, Memory Lane, October, Picco, Spork, Submarine, Two Gates Of Sleep.

Michael Winterbottom comments: "Film festivals are hugely important events for filmmakers and the London Film Festival is one of the biggest and best. It's very exciting to get a chance to watch films by new directors from all over the world."

The Grierson Award for Best Documentary, a partnership between the Grierson Trust and the LFF, recognises outstanding feature-length documentaries of integrity, originality, technical excellence or cultural significance. 

The Award is presented in commemoration of John Grierson.  Kevin Macdonald will chair the jury, which also includes Mandy Chang and Christo Hird of the Grierson Trust, Charlotte Moore, Head of Documentary Commissioning at the BBC and Dick Fontaine of the NFTS.

This year’s shortlist is:

-Armadillo               Denmark           Janus Metz
-Benda Bilili!           France            Renaud Barret, Florent De La -Tullaye
-Circo                   Mexico/USA        Aaron Schock
-Maria And I             Spain             Félix Fernández De Castro
-The Peddler             Argentina         Eduardo De La Serna, Lucas -Marcheggiano, Adriana Yurcovich
-Pink Saris              UK/India          Kim Longinotto                     
-The Tillman Story       USA               Amir Bar-Lev            
-Waste Land              UK/Brazil         Lucy Walker

Kevin Macdonald said: "The list of documentaries showing at this year’s LFF is mouth-wateringly good and I’m genuinely thrilled to chair the Grierson Award Jury.

"What could be more fun than getting to see all these great films for free and then getting to passionately argue about them with my fellow jurors?!"  

A special hour-long programme, with exclusive coverage of the ceremony, will be broadcast on 7 November, 9pm on Sky Arts 2 HD – including all the nominees and winners, an insight into the juries’ decisions, and a 75th anniversary tribute to the unique work of the BFI Archive.


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