Both nature and nurture influence who we are and who we become. We all have different backgrounds, cultures, life experiences, beliefs, passions, and talents – making diversity a powerful force behind creativity. Creativity plays a crucial role in how we tell our stories, and it’s never been more important to elevate new voices, particularly in a medium like film.
At Adobe, we believe it is our responsibility to give diverse voices a greater platform to share their stories. That is why we are proud to be joining forces with the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) this year, in support of its Learning and Inclusivity programme. This month, BAFTA unveiled the most diverse British Academy Film Awards nominations in its history, which is reflective of the Academy’s drive to address underrepresentation in the screen industry.
Adobe is supporting the BAFTA Film Sessions: Editing and Special Visual Effects, in the lead up to the EE BAFTAs as well as the British Academy Television Craft Awards, a BAFTA Editing Masterclass, BAFTA Crew Roundtable and BAFTA Guru Live. Joining forces with the most trusted name in British film and television offers unique access to some of Britain’s most inspiring talent, and allows us to empower the next generation of diverse creators to grow their careers in the film and video industry. As a world-leading arts charity, BAFTA supports the growth of creative talent, both in the UK and internationally, and strives to bring the very best work in film, games and television to public attention.
The impact of BAFTA’s new voting criteria
Last week, the eagerly awaited nominations for the 2021 EE British Academy Film Awards were announced following the BAFTA Review, a process that was introduced to address the lack of diversity in 2020, and the lack of opportunity and equality in the screen industries. It’s a historic moment for BAFTA as, for the first time ever, four women have been nominated in the director category, while 16 of the 24 actors announced are from Black, Asian and minority ethnic groups. Docufictional road film Nomadland and coming-of-age drama Rocks lead the way with seven nods each, while late star Chadwick Boseman has scored a posthumous leading actor nomination.
It’s the result of more than 120 changes BAFTA has made to its voting, membership and campaigning processes, in an attempt to ensure greater diversity. These include the introduction of a new longlist round of voting, and the expansion of the outstanding British film field.