BAFTA, director Asif Kapadia (Amy, Seine, docu-fiction thriller 2073), TV host Reggie Yates (Reggie Yates: Extreme Russia, Reggie Yates: Insider), advocacy organisation We Are Doc Women and British menswear house Dunhill are partnering on the BAFTA Elevate programme to accelerate the careers of up to 20 mid- to senior-level creatives making documentaries, specialist TV content and feature films.
BAFTA’s qualitative research reveals “a narrowing of opportunities that risks diminishing the range of stories brought to our screens and those who have the opportunity to tell them,” the British academy said. “Designed in response to these findings, BAFTA and Dunhill are today issuing a call for applications from development producers, producers, directors and production managers from groups under-represented within the industry, including those from ethnic minority, disabled and/or low socio-economic backgrounds. Drawing on BAFTA’s unique community of 12,000 creative professionals, BAFTA will provide networking and exposure to the industry alongside a series of wider knowledge development and targeted professional development over two years.”
Jane Millichip, CEO of BAFTA, said: “BAFTA has a mission to level the playing field for those in society who face barriers and prejudice when pursuing a career in the film industry. BAFTA Elevate provides opportunities for voices held back by inequality and encourages people from underrepresented groups to share their stories and, in doing so, enrich our cultural landscape.”
Kapadia said: “In many ways, I've often felt like an outsider in the UK, in education, in the film industry. But I've always tried to use that to my advantage, I speak more than one language, I grew up with an understanding and respect for different cultures, customs, faiths, ways of thinking.”
She added: “Through my work, I've been lucky enough to travel the world. I use all that experience in my work. I hope BAFTA Elevate can give people with stories like mine the agency, the profile and the support to be an outsider but be an insider: our experience makes us special, that's our superpower. Using what makes us unique to tell stories that engage emotionally and maybe change the way people think and behave.”
Yates added: “The most powerful documentaries are those that offer a window into the lives of people, events and perspectives that we might not otherwise connect with – we need diverse voices and fresh perspectives, so we don’t just recycle the same old stories. That’s why it’s heartening to see BAFTA and Dunhill championing a new generation of underrepresented voices in the documentary industry who, despite their talent and brilliant ideas, are held back by a lack of insider knowledge, industry connections and confidence.”