Two young Northern Irish filmmakers have won BFI Film Academy + Cash Bursaries to support their filmmaking journey.
Conall Jago and Andrew Dornan; our local lucky winners, received £250 towards the development of their own short films which will premier at Foyle Film Festival as part of the BFI Film Academy Young Filmmakers Showcase. Alongside financial support, Conall and Andrew have access to workshops and development support from BFI, helping them navigate the industry.
Conall Jago
"Hi! My name is Conall, I'm a 19 year old filmmaker from Craigavon, and am currently studying Film and TV at Belfast Met. Ever since I was a kid, I've always loved videoing things. Capturing a moment in time has always been a magical feeling for me, and once I discovered the art of filmmaking, I knew I wanted to be a part of it! After I attended the BFI Short Course in 2022, I knew then that I wanted to be a filmmaker, especially a director and cinematographer. I have since gone on to direct two short films and two short documentaries, and am now the cinematographer on the final project for my course.
With help from Nerve Centre and BFI Film Academy, I'm now able to make my first ever independently funded short! The BFI has been such an integral part in my journey into the film industry, and I'm so grateful to have them by my side as I bring to life a project I'm incredibly passionate about."
Andrew Dornan
"My name is Andrew Dornan, I was born in Scotland but have lived most of my life in Bangor, Northern Ireland. I am a recent graduate of Queen’s University Belfast where I studied and graduated with a BA First Class Honours in Film Studies and Production. On the course I worked as a writer and director as well as an assistant in multiple student short films. With this recent awarded bursary from the BFI Film Academy I feel greatly supported as it will be a great help towards hiring actors and paying for costume and make-up, as well as providing a solid contributing base for the short film’s production."
We are excited to see how Conall and Andrew's work develops!
The short film bursary award initiative is supported by BFI Film Academy with National Lottery funding.
Learn more about the BFI Film Academy at Nerve Centre.