UK’s Bafta Introduces Children’s and Family Film Award, Adjusts Jury Involvement for 2025

11 August 2024 | Source
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (Bafta) will introduce a children’s and family film award at the 2025 Bafta Film Awards in the UK, marking the first new category in five years. Significant rule changes include reducing jury interventions and tightening eligibility for the Outstanding British Film category through a new points-based system. These adjustments aim to enhance transparency and inclusivity across the awards.

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (Bafta) has announced a series of significant changes for the 2025 Bafta Film Awards, marking the most substantial updates to its rulebook since 2021. Among the key alterations is the introduction of a children’s and family film award, the first new category added to the prestigious event in five years. This award, set to highlight films with inter-generational appeal, will be determined solely by a jury across all voting rounds. The move aligns with Bafta’s broader initiative to integrate children’s content more dynamically into its film and television awards.

Emma Baehr, Bafta’s executive director of awards and content, highlighted the reasoning behind reducing jury interventions in certain categories. “We’ve looked at four years of data... and that’s allowed us to think about how the long-term measures in place are working well,” Baehr explained. The decision to phase out some of the short-term jury measures, such as the nominating juries for the directing and performance categories, was informed by extensive consultations with industry professionals and organizations representing filmmakers.

For the directing category, the intervention ensuring gender parity on the longlist will remain, though the longlist itself will be reduced from 16 to a maximum of 11 entries. Notably, the longlist and nominating juries for this category have been removed, with the directing chapter now solely responsible for determining the longlist and nominations.

Similarly, changes in the performance categories will see the acting chapter and longlisting jury determining the longlists, with the acting chapter deciding all 24 nominations across the four performance categories. The winners will continue to be selected by the full voting membership.

Bafta has also tightened the eligibility criteria for the Outstanding British Film category. Previously defined by “significant creative involvement,” the criteria will now be governed by a new points-based system, offering clearer guidance on what constitutes a British film. The system will assess factors such as the nationality of key personnel, setting, and source material, aligning with the new Independent Film Tax Credit (IFTC) and the evolving landscape of the UK film industry.

In the documentary and Outstanding British Film categories, opt-in chapters have been dissolved, requiring members to re-register their interest in voting for these categories. This change is intended to create a more specialized pool of voters, ensuring that those involved have relevant expertise and are committed to viewing the necessary volume of films.

Other updates include a significant increase in the minimum number of theatrical screenings required for eligibility in the Best Film category, which now mandates at least 350 screenings across 50 UK cinemas. This change reflects Bafta’s ongoing efforts to uphold the cinematic experience in an increasingly digital age.

The 2025 Bafta Film Awards will take place on February 16, with the voting process kicking off in December 2024. The introduction of the children’s and family film award, along with these other rule changes, marks Bafta’s continued evolution as it adapts to the changing needs of the film industry and its audiences.

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