The 2018 British Urban Film Festival (June 4-9) has announced its line-up, hosts and awards today.
The festival will open with writer-director Clare Anyiam-Osigwe’s No Shade, about a British woman coming to terms with her relationships with men and her skintone, starring Adele Oni in her debut lead role. It is the first feature to be released by the Festival under its new BUFF Originals slate.
The closing night film is the festival premiere of Harry Brown writer Gary Young’s directorial debut Two Graves, a revenge drama starring Cathy Tyson (Mona Lisa, Band Of Gold) and heralding the feature return of Katie Jarvis, star of Andrea Arnold’s 2009 hit Fish Tank. Dave Johns (I, Daniel Blake), Josh Herdman (Goyle in the Harry Potter series) and David Hayman (Trial And Retribution) also appear in the cast.
The festival will also showcase 3 strands of short films including the Women in Film strand, headlined by Fee starring Munroe Bergdorf.
Writer-director Amma Asante (Belle, A United Kingdom) will receive this year’s honorary award, at the BUFF Awards on 4 June. Hosting the ceremony will be critic Larushka Ivan-Zadeh and Coronation Street and Holby City star and fellow BUFF patron Kim Vithana. At this event, eleven awards will be given out in nine categories, with Riz Ahmed and Billie Piper amongst the nominees for their performances in 2017’s City Of Tiny Lights.
CEO and BUFF founder Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe commented on Asante’s award and the situation for black British women, saying: “To this day, I never tire of raving on and telling people about Amma’s phenomenal debut feature. In spite of what’s been said about Hollywood and the film business in general, it’s an exciting time to be black, British and female. We are delighted that Amma will accept this honour at the BUFF Awards on the 4th of June. We have a lot to thank Amma for.”
The festival moves to an early-summer date for the first time, having previously been held in September each year.
Read more: BFI London Film Festival reveals 2018 dates and submission deadline
BUFF Awards nominees
BUFF Best Short Film (sponsored by Triforce Creative Network)
- Five By Five (Directed by Kate Herron)
- Hum (Directed by Stefano Nurra)
- Leroy (Directed by Marley Morrison)
- We Love Moses (Directed by Dionne Edwards)
Blessing Anyiam-Osigwe Best Actress Award
- Billie Piper (City of Tiny Lights)
- Edwina Findley (Free In Deed)
- Joselyn Dumas (Potato Potahto)
- Loretta Devine (Chapter and Verse)
BUFF Best Actor
- Daniel Beaty (Chapter and Verse)
- David Harewood (Free In Deed)
- OC Ukeje (Potato Potahto)
- Riz Ahmed (City of Tiny Lights)
BUFF Best Feature Film
- Chapter and Verse (Directed by Jamal Joseph)
- City of Tiny Lights (Directed by Pete Travis)
- Free In Deed (Directed by Jake Mahaffy)
- Potato Potahto (Directed by Shirley F Manso)
BUFF Best Live Script recipients
- 2018 Best Live Script Winner: Road Girl (by Amy Culwick)
- 2018 Best Live Script Winner: Bosh (by Sinitta Monero)
- 2018 Best Live Script Winner: Chasing Jeremy (by Mary McCallum)
BUFF Best Music Video (public vote)
- Andina (Directed by Rob Baker Ashton)
- Younger (Directed by Bailey Tom Bailey)
- The Meltdown - See The Light (Directed by Hanna Seidel)
- My Turtle Dove (Directed by Jay Stephen and Ralph Briscoe)
Best Male Emerging Talent
- Francesco Gabriele (Blue Hollywood)
- Liran Nathan (Parallel Universes)
- Nathan Bryon (Leroy)
- Rob Walters (Remembrance Day)
Best Female Emerging Talent (sponsored by The Mandy Network)
- Cat Van Dort (Amber)
- Helen Watkinson (Blue Hollywood)
- Jade Marie Joseph (Morning Glory)
- Tenisha White (Broken)
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