Awardees receive £1000 to make a short film which is then developed with us at Film Hub North.
Applicants submitted an original story alongside a project plan and details of how the grant would support the film and their professional development. We’re delighted to introduce the recipients of our 2024 award below and their projects!
Bonfire
Jake Mark
Jake is a filmmaker based in North West England. He is a graduate from the University of York, earning a BSC in Film and TV Production. His last short Under The Surface screened at the BAFTA and BIFA qualifying Bolton International Film Festival and was selected to screen in Belfast as part of the Cinemagic Young Filmmaker Awards. He has also produced and directed music videos, commercial content and a visual installation.
Bonfire
Guy Fawkes Night 2024. We follow a day in the life of Ethan (10), who goes out to play a game of football with his friend Jasmine (10), with the intention to visit his mother in the hospital after. Ethan expects to miss the bonfire. Unbeknownst to him, tragedy is occurring and this will be the night his life changes forever.
THE CANVAS OF ROOTS
Muhammed Bittaye
Muhammed make films that authentically reflect the complexities of the human experience and address social issues centred around Africans. He has a filmmaking degree at from Screen and Film School Manchester.
THE CANVAS OF ROOTS
Ali, a young artist on the brink of giving up, feels abandoned and lost without his late grandmother, who was his greatest mentor. In a moment of deep despair, he has a mystical encounter with her spirit. She reveals a blank canvas that transforms into a vibrant, living painting of their ancestral village in West Africa. Reminding Ali of their rich family legacy, she encourages him to use his art to bridge the past and the present.
Paper Houses
Taylor Clarke
Taylor Clarke is BFI Alumni, NFTS Craft Skills Alumni and a BAFTA Mentee and Scholar, with nearly three years of experience within the film industry. A lighting technician by trade, Taylor has worked on numerous projects for Sky Arts, Lucasfilm and the BFI; she is now keen to utilise her experience within her own directorial works.
Paper Houses (Working Title)
A theatrical tale mapping a young woman’s evolution of thought; Paper Houses follows Kia as she questions the worth of social relevance, having crafted a pristine image maintained by a mountain of debt.
The Micro Short Film Fund grant is part of our BFI Film Academy programme for young filmmakers. BFI Film Academy offers opportunities for ambitious 16-25 year olds, anywhere in the UK, to get to know more about film and how to forge a career in the screen industries.
