Riz Ahmed Honorary Prize
Riz Ahmed will be the recipient of this year’s Richard Harris Award, which is presented annually by the British Independent Film Awards to recognize an actor or actress who has contributed significantly to British films. The Sound of MetalAnd The Night ofActor has been a stalwart of the BIFAs in past years, winning eight awards from the Brit indie ceremony. He was awarded the Best Debut screenwriter award last year. Mogul MowgliHis first venture into feature film writing was the Best British Short Film BIFA. The Long Goodbye. Upcoming he is an executive producer on Jonas Poher Rasmussen’s Flee and is working on a film adaptation of Mosin Hamid’s bookExit West, to be directed by Yann Demange, via Ahmed’s production company Left Handed, which has a first-look TV deal with Amazon. “I am grateful to the British Independent Film community for their immense support throughout all these years. To receive the Richard Harris Award at the BIFAs this year is a true honour, I hope to be able to continue to learn from those who came before me while encouraging the rising generation to follow their creative dream,”Ahmed.
Screen Yorkshire Names its Chief Exec
Screen Yorkshire has appointed Caroline Cooper Charles to the position of chief executive. Sally Joynson is retiring at 2021. Sally Cooper Charles will replace her. She has been at the helm for 16 years. Cooper Charles is currently Screen Yorkshire’s head of creative and joined the org in 2018 as head of industry development. Her previous roles include Warp X, Creative England, and she co-founded a production company along with Dawn Shadforth, the music video director. Her new role will begin January 1, 2022. “The company has such an important role in ensuring that the screen industries in Yorkshire and Humber continue to thrive and grow in a manner which reflects the fantastic talent that we have in our region,”Cooper Charles. “As Screen Yorkshire moves into its third decade it will be an absolute privilege to take forward the incredible legacy that has been built by Sally Joynson and lead the brilliant team that delivers this work.”
Fremantle to Distribute Australian Parenting Format
Fremantle has been granted global distribution rights for Australia’s social reality experimentParental Guidance. The show aired earlier this year on Australia’s Channel 9, becoming one of the channel’s biggest launches of 2021, according to Fremantle. This format features 10 parents with totally different parenting styles putting their methods to the test in an attempt to convince viewers that they have the best way of raising their children.