Student-Made Science Film Selected As Student Academy Award Winner
This week, the National Film & Television School (NFTS) was proud to see the student-made science documentary I Want To Live named winner in the documentary category of the 53rd Student Academy Awards.
This year, the competition received 2,972 entries from 894 colleges and universities worldwide, with a hat-trick of NFTS films being named finalists; documentary Corps à Coeur, science and natural history film I Want To Live and live action Everytime I See A Cock I Go Funny.
Just 16 students were selected as winners and among them, Jason Elliott, the director of I Want To Live, a moving documentary made as his graduation project on the NFTS Directing and Producing Science and Natural History MFA.
The film follows 25-year-old Mallory Smith, whose life has been plagued by bacterial lung infections because of cystic fibrosis – 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.
On Monday 14 September, for the first time ever, the ceremony will be held at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), where the films will be awarded either gold, silver and bronze placements in the four award categories.
Winners will also have access to an intensive weekend of education programming, networking opportunities and exclusive access to Academy members to support their career advancement.
I Want To Live joins the ranks of past NFTS Student Academy Award winners including Mum’s Spaghetti (Best Animation 2023) and November 1st (Narrative 2019), and will be eligible for the 99th Oscars.
The National Film and Television School is incredibly proud of the team behind this emotional and important film.
- Meet the I Want To Live 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 and Sandro Popkhadze
Composers Aizhana Nurkenova and Katrina Rose
Motion Graphics and Titles Designer Joe Stratford
Colourist/Online Editor Scott Harrison
Find out more about our 2026 finalists: nfts.co.uk/article/hat-trick-nfts-made-films-selected-student-academy-award-2026-finalists