These films include Olawunmi Hassan’s Irun Didi, Curtis Essel’s The Permaculturist, Raheem Razak’s Anguish, and Rana Ramy’s Above/Zero.
By Hope Ibiale
The 2024 edition of the Sony Future Filmmaker Awards organisers have announced the shortlisted films that will be considered for the awards. On the shortlist, four African films from Ghana, Nigeria, Egypt, and South Africa were shortlisted.
These films include Olawunmi Hassan’s Irun Didi (Nigeria), Curtis Essel’s The Permaculturist (Ghana), Raheem Razak’s Anguish (South Africa), and Rana Ramy’s Above/Zero (Egypt). These films were shortlisted in the Non-Fiction, Environment, Student, and Future Format categories, respectively.
Other shortlisted films include Twenty, Hard Times, Beyond Hope, Hellbent, Mira, Kasbi, Collapse, and many others. These shortlisted films were selected from over 8,400 films by more than 5,000 filmmakers across 148 countries and territories. The chosen films represent the award in six categories: Fiction, Non-Fiction, Environment, Animation, Student, and Future Format. The six winners will be announced on May 30, 2024, during an awards ceremony at the Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, California.
The 30 filmmakers will take part in the major programme held at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City. The event involves a four-day workshop, during which the shortlisted creators will gain exclusive insight into filmmaking from leading voices in the industry. Topics will range from physical production, animation, legal, CGI, innovation at Sony, pitching process, sound and music mixing, post-production, and talent agencies, to TV and studio tours.
Justin Chadwick, award-winning theatre, television, and film director and Chair of the Jury stated, “The level of submission and the international scope of new voices shortlisted for the Awards is thrilling. Across the 30 chosen filmmakers the perspectives told are manifold and captivating, charged with passion and authenticity. I am delighted to once again lead this selection of filmmaking; a vision of storytelling and cinematic ingenuity and an aperture into the filmmakers who shall make up the future of our industry”.
The Sony Future Filmmaker Awards was created by Creo and is sponsored by Sony. The awards are dedicated to spotlighting incredible short films and supporting independent filmmakers and creators from across the world. The winners from each category will win cash prizes and a range of Sony digital imaging equipment.
This year’s jury will be chaired by award-winning director Justin Chadwick, and includes Michael Barker and Tom Bernard, Co-Founders and Co-Presidents of Sony Pictures Classics, Rob Hardy ASC, BSC, BAFTA award-winning cinematographer, and Kate Reid BSC, acclaimed British cinematographer, will choose this year’s category winners, awarding creative excellence and original approaches to narrative.
You can check the full list of shortlisted films here.