The Short Documentary Film award supports nonfiction filmmakers working in cinematic short documentary film, focusing on independent and inventive storytellers exploring contemporary thematics that shape national conversation and inform our shared cultural identity. Meet the shortlist:
Jessica Bishopp
Jessica is a director and documentary filmmaker fascinated by subcultures, myth and our connection to place.
Rosie Morris
Rosie is a filmmaker who invites audiences to walk alongside the people in her films and to meet them at eye level.
Cherish Oteka
Cherish is a documentary filmmaker who is passionate about telling universal stories through the lens of often erased communities.
Kateryna Pavlyuk
Kateryna Pavlyuk is a documentary filmmaker fascinated by people and their relationships to places, her films centre on migration, displacement, community, and the cross-pollination of cultures.
With thanks to our independent Jury members Louisa Dent, Managing Director, Curzon; Clare Sillery, Head of Commissioning BBC, Documentaries; and Raul Niño Zambrano, Artistic Director, Sheffield Doc Fest who said:
“The four shortlisted filmmakers demonstrate the great range and breadth of short documentary filmmaking practice in the UK. Cherish Oteka, Jessica Bishopp, Kateryna Pavlyuk and Rosie Morris are all exploring very important questions about identity and belonging in contemporary society. It’s been a real pleasure and privilege to watch their respective work and highly original ways of thinking about documentary form and storytelling; from our relationship with nature, to centring under-represented communities, telling local and global histories of migration and displacement, to highly personal stories of intimacy and emotion. Being part of the Arts Foundation Futures Awards has been a hugely hopeful and energising experience.”
The Arts Foundation has a long history of supporting film, moving image and new media, with notable past fellows such as Carol Morley and Asif Kapadia. Mary Jane Edwards, Director of The Arts Foundation says:
““We are delighted to be supporting this important award, while the UK is fortunate to host many brilliant film festivals, financing and production support for risk-taking non fiction-films remains low. Sustaining a documentary filmmaking practice is particularly challenging, as sector research shows UK film funds ring-fenced for documentaries are sadly among the lowest in Europe. We were very moved by the beauty and depth of work of the four shortlisted filmmakers, all of whom move beyond aesthetics to pose important questions about place, community and identity in contemporary society.”
The Short Documentary Fim award is supported in partnership with The David Collins Foundation and Iain Watson, Chief Executive Officer, David Collins Studio, and Trustee of The David Collins Foundation said:
“The David Collins Foundation are thrilled to support the Arts Foundation Futures Awards 2024 for Short Documentary Film. David Collins supported artists and makers across all mediums throughout his life, and I know he would be really inspired by the breadth of stories these filmmakers are bringing to the fore. All the shortlisted artists demonstrate such a diverse range of approaches to storytelling, and we look forward to supporting the development of their filmmaking craft at this timely moment in their career.”
The Arts Foundation Futures Awards support the UK’s most promising artists and creatives at a pivotal moment in their careers to enable them to concentrate on their creative development, experiment, and realise their artistic potential. The recipient of the £10,000 Fellowship will be revealed on 28 February 2024, with all artists receiving £1,000 towards their practice.