NFTS Sweeps All3Media Best Student Documentary Nominations at 2024 Grierson Awards!
The National Film and Television School (NFTS) is proud to announce that all four nominations for the All3Media Best Student Documentary Award 2024 are NFTS student made films: Beyond These Walls, Hungry for Freedom, milk and The Waiter, the Scientist and Jenny.
Established in 1972, the Grierson Awards are the pinnacle of documentary recognition in the UK, celebrating the best in British and international filmmaking. Since the inception of the Best Student Documentary category in 2011, the NFTS has secured nine wins, most recently for With Woman, a powerful graduation documentary by Mia Harvey. With Woman follows Star, a Black midwife who has taken up the cause of providing Black women with home-births in the state of Illinois.
This remarkable achievement not only positions NFTS for its tenth win in this category but also showcases the exceptional talent, dedication, and hard work of our students. Chair of the Grierson Trust, Lorraine Heggessey, praised this year's nominees said; “This year’s nominees reflect the incredible depth of talent in documentary filmmaking, and especially the new, diverse voices on and off-screen breaking through to tell stories from different perspectives, which really captivate viewers on all channels and platforms. Our jurors were so impressed with the range and quality of the entries which demonstrate once again the creativity that we all must continue to nurture and celebrate during these challenging times for our industry.”
EXPLORE THE NOMINEES
- Beyond These Walls
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Beyond These Walls offers a rare insight into a secured girls' home in Singapore, delving into the lives of its residents. Through observational footage and intimate interviews, it illuminates the diverse circumstances and challenges faced by these girls. From struggles with familial relationships to navigating personal growth, the film provides a rare glimpse into their world, highlighting resilience and the quest for hope amidst adversity.
NFTS Crew
Director Christine Seow
DOP Jolinna Ang
Music Diogo Chaves
Editor Clare Maleeny
Sound Designer Nicholas Smyth
Colourist Ellen Yu
Prod. Manager Jessica Shi
- Hungry for Freedom
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Boong and Baipor are two activists from Thailand who got arrested for criticising the Thai monarchy. They are put in prison and denied their right to bail. They have to embark on a hunger strike to confirm their innocence and demand their release.
NFTS Crew
Director Rachata Thongruay
Composer Marcin Mazurek
Editing Andy Sowerby
Sound Designer Olivier Sarrailh
Production Manager Athena Vlachos
- milk
A cinematic work around maternity, loss and addiction, focused on life and healing. One filmmaker sets out on a journey to discover the mother she never knew. Like the ancient Japanese art of kintsugi, the act of piecing back together all the scattered, jagged and broken bits of her mother’s life somehow helps her to make sense of her own. But, like the act of filmmaking itself, it is a journey that will never feel complete.
NFTS Crew
Director Miranda Stern
Producer Ashionye Ogene
Camera Essi Hyrkki
Production Manager Carl Mason
Sound Recordist Luke Predeth\
Editor Yiwei Pu
Sound Designer/Dubbing Mixer Liam Sharpe
Composer Rotem Frimer
Colourist/Online Editor Karolina Matela
- The Waiter, the Scientist and Jenny
Once an exceptionally promising scientist, Marc Esposito now works as a waiter in Hastings, where he attempts to live an unusually free and unencumbered life, whilst simultaneously battling a severe mental health condition.
NFTS Crew
Director/Producer/Camera Joe Snelling
Production Manager Carl Mason
Sound Recordist George Philip Blake
Editor Ben Sales
Sound Designer/Dubbing Mixer Omar Gabriel Delnevo
Composer Nir Perlman
Colourist/Online Editor Karolina Matela
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With the NFTS the sole institution nominated in the All3Media Best Student Documentary Award category this year, we are incredibly proud of our students' achievements. We wish the teams the best of luck at the ceremony which will take place at the iconic Roundhouse in London on 6th November 2024.
To view the full list of 2024 Grierson Award nominees, visit griersontrust.org/about-us/news/grierson-awards-2024-nominees/
To follow in the footsteps of our award-winning students and graduates, find out more about how to apply for the 2026 intake NFTS Directing Documentary MA: nfts.co.uk/directing-documentary.