Hat Trick of NFTS Made Films Selected as Student Academy Award 2026 Finalists
The Academy has announced the finalists for the 53rd Student Academy Awards 2026, with a hat trick of National Film and Television School (NFTS) student-made films selected across both its fiction and documentary categories.
First premiered to industry earlier in March 2026 as part of the NFTS Graduate Showcase, held annually at the BFI in London, documentary Corps à Coeur, Science and Natural History film I Want To Live and live action Everytime I See A Cock I Go Funny, will go up against 25 other productions from the best and brightest emerging filmmakers from across the world. The winners will be announced in August, with the presentation ceremony held during Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on Monday 14th September 2026.
In 2024 the NFTS had a record breaking five films selected and last picked up an award for animation Mum’s Spaghetti in 2023. Past Student Academy Award winners include recent NFTS Masterclass guest Pete Docter (Inside Out, Monsters Inc), Robert Zemeckis (Back to the Future) Spike Lee (Malcolm X) and Patricia Cardoso (Real Women Have Curves).
All Student Academy Award-winning films will be eligible to compete for the 99th Oscars® in the Animated Short Film, Live Action Short Film or Documentary Short Film category.
In collaboration with TIFF, Student Academy Award winners will have access to attend the festival and market, and they will experience education panels and networking opportunities. In addition, winners will have exclusive access to Academy members to support their career advancement.
“As the Academy becomes increasingly global, we are delighted to bring this year’s Student Academy Awards to TIFF. These filmmakers are the future of our industry, and we are thrilled to platform their work at this important international festival,”
- Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Lynette Howell Taylor.
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR 2026 FINALISTS:
- Corps à Coeur
In the picturesque village of Mazan in Southern France, known for the Gisèle Pélicot rape case, three women embark on a journey to heal from domestic and sexual violence by doing horse therapy sessions.
NFTS CREW
Director/Producer Jenny Barruol
Cameras Jenny Barruol, Monaya Abel
Production Manager Shreya Desai
Production Coordinator Bailey Hamilton
Sound Recordist Magdalena Matuszek
Editor Margot Newcombe
Sound Designer Jiaren Liao
Dubbing Mixer Jingya Li
Composer Aizhana Nurkenova
Colourist Maddalena Oberti- I Want To Live
Because of cystic fibrosis, 25-year-old Mallory Smith’s life has been plagued by bacterial lung infections – but increasingly, the drugs aren’t working. With antibiotic resistance forecast as the leading cause of death by 2050, Mallory and pharmacologist Prof. Chris Shaw urge us to look at much needed alternative treatments; from antibiotic Ecuadorian frogs, to phage therapy.
NFTS CREW
Director/Producer/Camera Jason Elliott
Additional Camera Neeve O’Flynn Mundin
Production Manager Sam Buckler
Production Coordinator Jeanet Froidurot
Sound Designers/Dubbing Mixers Vicente Molder, Sandro Popkhadze
Composers Aizhana Nurkenova, Katrina Rose
Motion Graphics and Titles Designer Joe Stratford
Colourist/Online Editor Scott Harrison- Everytime I See A Cock I Go Funny
When a Yorkshire coal miner’s trousers get stolen, a scandal erupts that sinks the colliery into turmoil, exposing the hypocritical, horny heart of postwar British pride and masculinity.
NFTS CREW
Director/Writer Lyndon Henley Hanrahan
Producer Castor Sprado
Cinematographer Catharina Scarpellini
1st AC Rodolfo Aguilar Strecke
Loader Tim Pakyar
2nd AC Harrison Griffiths
Trainee Grip George Miller
Production Designer Seana McEvoy
Production Manager Heather Davies
Production Coordinator Chrystal Holder
Assistant Directors Oliver Pitman, Chelsea-Rose James, Monika Reich
Production Sound Mixer Camila Gervasoni
1st Assistant Sound Ava Doyle
Editor Darcy Keeble Watson
Sound Designer/Dubbing Mixer Tobias Haswell
Composer Katrina Rose
VFX Supervisor John Chen
Motion Graphics and Titles Designer Joseph Goodridge
Colourist Seowoo Park
The NFTS is incredibly proud of the graduates behind these thought provoking and innovative productions and wishes them every luck at the awards and in their future careers.
To see the full list of 2026 finalists, click here.