London, 2nd October 2019 – Last night, stars from the UK’s film and television industries gathered in support of BFI LUMINOUS, the biennial fundraising gala held in partnership with IWC Schaffhausen. LUMINOUS’ special guests included British actor and IWC brand ambassador Dev Patel, as well as Oscar®-winning director Danny Boyle, lead juror for the £50k Filmmaker Bursary Award. The evening culminated in the presentation of the coveted IWC Schaffhausen Filmmaker Bursary Award in association with the BFI to Rose Glass, one of the UK’s most exciting new filmmaking talents.

The centrepiece of the evening was the presentation of the fourth annual £50,000 IWC Schaffhausen Filmmaker Bursary Award in Association with the BFI, awarded to Rose Glass, Writer/Director of SAINT MAUD. Presented by Danny Boyle with co-jurors Christoph Grainger-Herr, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen, and Amanda Nevill, CEO of the BFI, the Bursary is a unique award and one of the largest arts prizes in the UK. It offers those at the beginning of their career the gift of time to allow them to grow as filmmakers, awarded to a UK-based writer, director or writer/director with a first or second feature film screening in the BFI London Film Festival in partnership with American Express.

ABOUT ROSE GLASS AND “SAINT MAUD”

Rose Glass has been making films since childhood. Upon discovering her dad’s mini DV camera, she began by experimenting with stop-motion animation before realising it took a very long time, and that she preferred working with real people. Her small friendship circle and family were regularly cast in nonsensical, surreal adventure films until, at 18, she secured a place at London College of Communication and got the chance to make shorts with ‘real’ actors. A Master of Arts at the National Film and Television School followed a few years later.

Her shorts have been screened at various international film festivals including SXSW, Palm Springs ShortFest and London Short Film Festival. She is an alumna of Guiding Lights and Berlinale Talent Campus, an iFeatures finalist and Screen International Star of Tomorrow 2018. Her debut feature, SAINT MAUD, was backed by Film4 and the BFI and premieres at Midnight Madness at the Toronto International Film Festival.

SAINT MAUD is the story of Maud, who starts work as a live-in nurse to glamorous ex-dancer Amanda, now dying and unable to walk. As Amanda grows friendlier, the lonely young Maud becomes enraptured, but her fixation soon mutates into an obsessive mission to save Amanda’s soul.

SAINT MAUD was shortlisted alongside Peter Mackie Burns, director of RIALTO, and Hong Khaou, director of MONSOON. The three filmmakers were selected by a senior industry panel from the UK-based directors or writers with their first or second film selected to premiere at the BFI London Film Festival.

BFI LUMINOUS’ CHARITY AUCTION

The entertainment industry came together at this spectacular event to celebrate and raise funds to create new educational opportunities for young people. By bidding on exclusive, bespoke and money-can’t-buy lots, guests at BFI LUMINOUS directly support the BFI’s transformational education programmes. The funds raised will ensure opportunities are available for young people from all backgrounds to access training, resources and the platform to tell their story.

LUMINOUS’ charity auction was led by renowned Sotheby›s auctioneer Lord Dalmeny, and comprised over 50 extraordinary lots including a flight in a Spitfire TR9 across the English Channel, an exclusive IWC Schaffhausen Spitfire Chronograph timepiece and a visit to a top secret and highly anticipated Warner Bros. film set shooting in the UK, followed by attendance at its red carpet premiere in 2020. Furthermore the BFI Luminous’ charity auction included a 007 experience at the Royal Premiere and exclusive after party for the 25th James Bond film, NO TIME TO DIE, completed with a luxury escape to the stunning north oast of Jamaica at the GoldenEye resort; a set visit to the fourth season of ‘The Crown’ with Olivia Colman (as Queen Elizabeth II) and Helena Bonham Carter (as Princess Margaret); meeting Hugh Grant at the red carpet premiere of Guy Ritchie’s latest film THE GENTLEMAN and mingling with the stars at the exclusive after party, as well as a chance to see a set in action and have lunch with Hugh Bonneville on one of his forthcoming projects; a post-show drink with Tom Hiddleston following ‘Betrayal’ on Broadway; a private garden tour with Monty Python’s Terry Gilliam at his home; and an opportunity to be immortalised in the next ‘Broken Sword’ video game. Ahead of the event, the lots were open to bidders all over the world online.

BFI CEO Amanda Nevill CBE, stated: “We wouldn’t have wonderful films if we didn’t seek out talent and nurture it for the future. I am overwhelmed by the incredible support we’ve had from so many people for LUMINOUS, including our generous partner IWC Schaffhausen, and people across the UK. It is so exciting to know that our BFI education programmes will now reach further to find talented young people from all backgrounds, to open doors and propel them into the industry.” The star-studded gala was held at London’s iconic Roundhouse on the eve of the BFI London Film Festival. Josh Berger, BFI Chair and President & Managing Director, Warner Bros. Entertainment UK, Ireland and Spain, and Amanda Nevill hosted the evening, with Jonathan Ross as Master of Ceremonies.

IWC SCHAFFHAUSEN FILMMAKER BURSARY AWARD IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE BFI

The IWC Schaffhausen Filmmaker Bursary Award in association with the BFI is presented annually, forming a key part of the BFI London Film Festival’s commitment to UK film and those who drive its creative success, and demonstrating the steadfast support of IWC Schaffhausen for British filmmaking.

At £50,000, the Bursary is the largest prize of its kind in the UK film industry, supporting exceptional new and emerging UK filmmakers. To be eligible for the Bursary, a writer and/or director must be UK-based and have their first or second film selected for the BFI London Film Festival in Partnership with American Express®.

The 2019 shortlist was selected by a panel of senior industry figures: Rose Garnett, Director of BBC Films, Ollie Madden, Head of Creative at  Film4, Ben Roberts, BFI’s Deputy Chief Executive, Tricia Tuttle, Director of BFI Festivals, and Larushka Ivan-Zadeh, Chief Film Critic at Metro.

A jury made up of Oscar®-winning director Danny Boyle, BFI CEO Amanda Nevill and IWC Schaffhausen CEO Christoph Grainger-Herr selected the winner.

ABOUT THE BFI

The BFI is the UK’s leading organisation for film, television and the moving image. It is a cultural charity that:

• Curates and presents the greatest international public programme of World Cinema for audiences in cinemas, at festivals and online
• Cares for the BFI National Archive – the most significant film and television archive in the world
• Actively seeks out and supports the next generation of filmmakers
• Works with Government and industry to make the UK the most creatively exciting and prosperous place to make film internationally

Founded in 1933, the BFI is a registered charity governed by Royal Charter. The BFI Board of Governors is chaired by Josh Berger CBE.