Falmouth films shortlisted for BAFTA Student Awards 

Animation Case Closed, directed by Lucy Gatenby, and short documentary Man Beast & the Heart to Win, directed by Hal Bartlett, have been shortlisted for the 2021 GSA BAFTA Student Awards. The films have been selected from 680 submissions made by students across 34 countries.  

Having made the shortlist, the filmmakers are eligible for a $12,000 commissioning grant for student projects on the topic of wellbeing and will be given the opportunity to apply for BAFTA's New Talent programme. They’ll also be invited to a series of online events over the coming weeks, including speed networking events with industry guests from BAFTA's membership and panels about career development, representation, film festival submissions and film markets.  

Lucy Gatenby was shocked and humbled to discover that her film had been shortlisted. “When I was pitching the film to my third-year course mates, I never had imagined my student film would reach such a prestigious event. I feel very humbled to have been listed amongst such amazing global talent,” she reflects. “I’m super excited for the future and so proud of my team for all the help that they have given me to bring my story to life. Case Closed has been the best experience and I feel super blessed to have this everlasting memory in my career.” 

Head of Animation Andy Joule is obviously thrilled for Lucy and her team, commenting: “The shortlisting of Lucy Gatenby’s film is a remarkable achievement, and we are all immensely proud of her and all the team she worked with. Producing a film of such a high calibre under normal circumstances is something to applaud. But when you factor in Covid-19, lockdown, closed studios and a crew spread across the globe, it really puts this achievement into perspective. 

“Looking at the other films on the shortlist it’s clear to see that Animation at Falmouth is right up there as Case Closed is competing with shorts from the Paris conservatoire, Goblins and the UK’s National Film & Television School. We wish Lucy and all of her team the very best of luck as they fly the flag State side!” 

When I was pitching the film to my third-year course mates, I never had imagined my student film would reach such a prestigious event. I feel very humbled to have been listed amongst such amazing global talent.

Caroline Deeds, Television lecturer, documentary filmmaker and Hal’s final-year supervisor, speaks for the entire Television course team when she says: “Congratulations to our Television graduates, led by director Hal Bartlett, on their Student BAFTA nomination for the final year documentary Man Beast & The Heart To Win.  

“Hal and his team crafted a beautiful, poetic, observational documentary that looks at the world of horse racing from behind the scenes. Hal worked with sensitivity to build a close rapport with horse trainer Matt Sheppard and his family, whose life’s work has been training rescue horses and horses bound for the slaughterhouse. 

“It’s an underdog story of a horse trainer Matt Shepard, who dreams of success, and his last chance horse; ‘The Bay Birch’ who makes that dream tangible. Matt’s passion in life is training racehorses from his small family outfit and against the odds they compete with the best in the world.” 

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