Rhianna Dhillon To Host First BFI London Film Festival Audience Awards With Presenters Zawe Ashton, Gurinder Chadha And More

RHIANNA DHILLON TO HOST FIRST BFI LONDON FILM FESTIVAL AUDIENCE AWARDS With presenters Zawe Ashton, Gurinder Chadha, David Walliams & Nell Whitley

Announcement Of The Winner Of The IWC Schaffhausen Filmmaker Bursary Award In Association With The BFI

Sunday 18 October at 7pm on YouTube

Film critic Rhianna Dhillon has today been announced as host of the BFI London Film Festival’s inaugural Virtual LFF Audience Awards which will see this year’s Festival audience voting across four categories: Best Fiction Feature, Best Documentary Feature, Best Short Film and Best XR. Individual awards categories will be announced on the night by actress, director and playwright Zawe Ashton, director and writer Gurinder Chadha, author, actor, producer and comedian David Walliams and founder of XR immersive art collective Marshmallow Laser Feast, Nell Whitley.

The ceremony will take place on Sunday 18 October at 7pm and is available to view on the BFI YouTube and social channels. The deadline for voting is 12:00 noon on Saturday 17^th October via email (sent at time of ticket purchase) for Best Fiction Feature and Best Documentary Feature and online in the Best Short and XR categories.

During the ceremony, the BFI will also announce the winner of The IWC Schaffhausen Filmmaker Bursary Award in association with the BFI. Now in its fifth year, The IWC Schaffhausen Filmmaker Bursary Award in association with the BFI benefits an outstanding first or second time British writer, director, or writer-director. This years’ nominees are Aleem Khan (AFTER LOVE), Cathy Brady (WILDFIRE) and Francis Lee (AMMONITE). The recipient of the award will receive £50,000, which is the most significant of its kind in the UK film industry and awarded annually.

About the BFI
The BFI is the UK’s lead organisation for film, television and the moving image. It is a distributor of National Lottery funding and a cultural and education charity that:

•            Curates and presents the greatest international public programme of world cinema for audiences; in cinemas, at festivals and online

•            Cares for the BFI National Archive – the most significant film and television archive in the world

•            Actively seeks out and supports the next generation of filmmakers

•            Works with Government and industry to make the UK the most creatively exciting and prosperous place to make film internationally

Founded in 1933, the BFI is a registered charity governed by Royal Charter. The BFI Board of Governors is chaired by Josh Berger CBE.

About the National Lottery
Thanks to National Lottery players, up to £600 million of funding has been made available to support communities across the UK during the Coronavirus crisis.

The National Lottery is playing a critical role in supporting people, projects and communities during these challenging times.

By playing The National Lottery, you are making an amazing contribution to the nationwide-response to combatting the impact of COVID-19 on local communities across the UK.

The BFI London Film Festival
BFI London Film Festival is Britain's leading film event and one of the world's best film festivals. It introduces the finest new British and international films to an expanding London and UK-wide audience and attracts significant international film industry participation. LFF is a compelling combination of diverse films, red carpet glamour, friendly audiences and vibrant exchange. LFF provides an essential profiling opportunity for films seeking global success; promotes the careers of British and international filmmakers through its industry and awards programmes and positions London as the world’s leading creative city.

For the 2020 edition, the BFI London Film Festival is waiving the standard press accreditation fee.

Tricia Tuttle Biography
Tricia Tuttle’s appointment as Director of BFI Festivals follows her role as Artistic Director of the 62nd Edition of the BFI London Film Festival and five successful years as Deputy Head of Festivals at BFI, including BFI Flare and BFI London Film Festival. Moving from North Carolina in 1997 to complete a joint MA at BFI and Birkbeck, University of London in Film and TV Studies, Tricia’s passion for film has seen her work as a programmer, lecturer, writer and journalist.  Her career has spanned a five year tenure at BAFTA, starting in 2008 and with her appointment as Film Programme Manager in 2011; programming the BFI London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival (the pre-cursor to BFI Flare) and as Event Producer at London’s The Script Factory.  Highly regarded by the BFI and industry, Tuttle has been instrumental in evolving BFI Festivals, continuing to expand audience reach year on year and introducing impactful initiatives such as BFI Flare’s FiveFilms4Freedom, in partnership with the British Council.

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Festival Information & Ticket Booking
BFI Members’ priority booking opens Wednesday 16th September – join here 

Pre-sale booking dates for Amex cardholders: 18th September

Public booking opens Monday 21st September 

Telephone Bookings: 020 7928 3232 | Online