BAFTA wins for Goldsmiths partner Curzon Cinemas and alumni Elena Ruscombe-King

Curzon Cinemas, the pioneering champion of independent and international cinema which opened a new 101-seat venue on the Goldsmiths, University of London campus in January 2016 has received a BAFTA award for Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema.

And Goldsmiths Media and Modern Literature graduate Elena Ruscombe-King's film A Love Story was victorious in the British Short Animation category.

The outstanding contribution award celebrates Curzon's success in bringing challenging and innovative cinema to audiences around the country.  Previous recipients of this award include Mike Leigh, Kenneth Branagh, Derek Jarman, Mary Selway, Ridley and Tony Scott, Working Title Films, Lewis Gilbert, the Harry Potter series of films, John Hurt, Tessa Ross and BBC Films. 

A Love Story, directed by Anushka Kishani Naanayakkara and co-written by Ruscombe-King (who graduated in 2013), sees two creatures fall in love and weave a colourful world together. But when darkness threatens to consume one of them, they must fight to stay together or risk being torn apart. The film previously received the Best Experimental Film Award at the Rhode Island International Film Festival 2016.

Patrick Loughrey, Warden of Goldsmiths, University of London said:

“The opening of Curzon Goldmsmiths last year brought full-time cinema back to Lewisham and gave Goldsmiths one of the country’s best campus cinemas in the country.  I'm proud of our ongoing partnership with an organisation that shares our commitment to excellence and inclusivity, and pleased that these values have been recognised at the BAFTA awards. 

 

"Like Curzon, Goldsmiths believes film can be vital force in promoting diversity, internationalism and independent thinking. Our Screen School is shaping the next generation of film-makers, and and our partnership with Curzon helps us share our love of cinema with the local community, London and the wider world.”

 

Dame Pippa Harris, Chair of BAFTA’s Film Committee, said: 

“For over 80 years, Curzon has provided the British public with unforgettable cinema experiences, while championing independent, art house and foreign language film making. I would like to thank everyone at Curzon for their extraordinary contribution to our industry, and for their unwavering commitment to bringing the very best in film to audiences across the UK.”

Programming at the 104-seat Goldsmiths venue, located in the Richard Hoggart Building, follows Curzon’s mix of the best in cinema from across the globe as well as documentary and special director Q&As.

Ticket prices at Curzon Goldsmiths range from £5 to £12 with students paying £7. The cinema includes a Sony 4k projector and 7.1 sound. The facilities also include a hearing support system which delivers descriptive narration for the visually impaired and amplified sound for the hearing impaired.

The EE British Academy Film Awards took place on Sunday 12 February at the Royal Albert Hall, London. 

Read the full British Academy of Film and Television Arts press release here:

http://www.bafta.org/media-centre/press-releases/outstanding-british-contribution-cinema-award-curzon

 

Curzon To Receive Award For Outstanding British ... www.bafta.org The Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema award is presented annually in honour of Michael Balcon, the British film producer known for his work with Ealing Studios.