BAFTA has revealed the newest crop of U.S. and U.K. participants for its Breakthrough program, the British Academy’s annual initiative aimed at supporting emerging talent across film, TV and video games.
The 36 names — 24 from the U.K. and 12 from the U.S. — were selected by a cross-industry global jury that included writer and broadcaster Afua Hirsch and Irish actress (and former Breakthrough) Niamh Algar. Each will be offered individually tailored mentoring and development opportunities aimed at supporting them during this breakout stage of their careers.
Now backed by Netflix, the BAFTA Breakthrough program was first launched in the U.K. in 2013 before expanding to China in 2019 and the U.S. and India in 2020. Previously Breakthroughs include Florence Pugh, Tom Holland and Letitia Wright, while Eternals star Lauren Ridloff was in the first U.S. selection last year.
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The full list of of 2021 BAFTA Breakthrough participants from the U.S includes:
Anna Franqueso-Solano, cinematographer – The Farewell
Bao Nguyen, director, documentary – Be Water
Cheyenne Ford, production designer – Shiva Baby
Dominique Nieves – writer/director – Our Lady Lupe
Joshua Grier, Mike Grier, Hunter Schmidt, games – Kena: Bridge of Spirits
Hikari, writer/director – 37 Seconds
Orlando Perez Rosso, composer – Allen V. Farrow
Sarah Lampert, writer – Ginny & Georgia
Siqi Song, animator – All In A Day’s Work
Stephanie Economou, composer – Jupiter’s Legacy
The 2021 BAFTA Breakthrough participants from the U.K. includes:
Aaron Reid, cinematographer – Stephen
Aisha Bywaters, casting director – We Are Lady Parts
Alex Kanaris-Sotiriou, creative director/lead developer – Röki
Ana Naomi De Sousa, director – Naseem, Fight with Grace
Ashley Francis-Roy, director – Damilola: The Boy Next Door
Chad Orororo, sound editor/mixer – Pele
David Proud, director/writer – Coronation Street
Elle Osili-Wood, presenter – Special Characters
Ellora Torchia, performer – In the Earth
Gemma Hurley, writer – Host
George Robinson, performer – Sex Education
Georgi Banks-Davies, director – I Hate Suzie
Heather Basten, casting director – The Origin
Helen Jones, producer – Censor
Joanna Haslam, design director – Family Feud
Jo Jackson, sound editor/mixer – Radioactive
Kirsty Elizabeth Gillmore, production voice director – Destruction AllStars
Laure De Mey, programmer – Assemble With Care DLC
Lydia West, performer – It’s A Sin
Lyttanya Shannon, director/producer- Subnormal: A British Scandal
Mdhamiri A Nkemi, editor – Life in a Day
PC Williams, costume designer – We Are Lady Parts
Prano Bailey-Bond, director/writer – Censor
Rajita Shah, producer – Love Sarah
