ODEON Becomes NFTS Platinum Cinema Sponsor in Unique New Partnership

The NFTS has announced a major new partnership with ODEON and UCI Cinemas Group.

ODEON has become the NFTS’ platinum cinema sponsor and will work with the school’s Board, tutors and students to support the school in a wide variety of new initiatives including the creation of a new annual student scholarship and the launch of a new short film festival.

The festival will feature NFTS students’ short films with the aim to expand the audience for the students’ award-winning work.  NFTS student graduation films win major film awards, including both of the 2015 BAFTA Short film awards (for live action and animation) – for the second year running. NFTS graduation film The Bigger Picture was the only student film nominated for an Oscar at the 2015 Academy Awards (the NFTS’ 3rd nomination in the past 5 five years). Out of the 168 film schools in the world, the NFTS has received half of the Oscar nominations for film school student films in the past five years (3 out of 6 nominations between 2010-2015).

Ian Shepherd, Chief Commercial Officer of ODEON and UCI Group said: “We have proudly supported the British film industry for the last 80 years, and are delighted to now step up our support even further.

“The NFTS is a global leader in developing the skills and nurturing the talent of dozens of gifted young film makers, and the work of their alumni brings enormous entertainment to cinema audiences around the world.

“We are very excited about the joint benefits of working together to offer our guests the latest new work from budding film makers while also supporting the NFTS students by dramatically expanding the reach of their work. We are also very pleased to back a new scholarship and support the school’s excellent work in a range of other ways. Such a partnership is unique, and we are the only major European cinema chain to support young filmmakers in this way.”

The new ODEON scholarship will be annually awarded to an MA student to support them during a two-year course.

NFTS director Nik Powell said: “This new partnership with ODEON is a brilliant opportunity for NFTS graduates to see their films at the ODEON festival in cinemas all over the country. They’ll be reaching new audiences who will, for the first time, be able to enjoy the creative, innovative and entertaining films that our talented students produce.”