TERRY PHETO’S performance as a long suffering wife and domestic abuse victim earned her a BUFF award Saturday evening – one of three awards for the anthology drama Faces. The film was the biggest winner at the ceremony, picking up prizes including best actor for Aki Omoshaybi and best feature for director Joseph A. Adesunloye.
Director Richard Etienne, another of the night’s winners, picked up the award for best documentary for The ID project - My Dominica Story and director Greg Hall won best short film for Smack Edd, which was sponsored by Met Film School.
In the live script category, presented by Kelly Edwards from HBO, there was success for Jo Southwell Loyalty, Eno Enefiok Asylum and Malcolm J Solomon Raped.
The final award of the night was presented by actors Ashley Walters Top Boy, Bulletproof and Wil Johnson Adulthood, Outlander and accepted by Noel Clarke for recognition of 20 years of outstanding contribution to the film and TV industry.
BUFF HONORARY AWARD RECIPIENT 2019: (from l-r) BUFF chairman Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe, Wil Johnson, Noel Clarke, Ashley Walters. (Photo: 05ive)
It was an emotional moment for Clarke who received two standing ovations from the packed audience. Moments after watching a summary of his accomplishments, Clarke said: “The interesting thing about it, and maybe that’s just a testament to what I do, is that I don’t feel like I’ve achieved anything. I don’t mean that in a sympathetic way. I haven’t done half of what I know I can do or what I know I want to do and so for me, a lot of that stuff is just work, it’s just what I do. I get up in the morning and I want to create. I want to succeed – not just for myself but for others.”
The winning films and scripts were pooled from 51 submissions selected by the board of the British Urban Film Festival, chaired by it’s founder Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe. The submissions were showcased during the week-long festival - now in its 14th year - at Met Film School, Ealing Studios.
The full list of winners at the 2019 British Urban Film Festival awards
Best short film (sponsored by Met Film School)
Smack Edd (Director: Greg Hall) - WINNER
Eli (Director: Colin Gerrard)
No Exposure (Director: Marcus Thomas)
Paparazza (Director: Aurora Fearnley)
Blessing Anyiam-Osigwe best actress award
Elinor Machen-Fortune (Acceptable Damage)
Seyi Shay (Lara and the Beat)
Terry Pheto (Faces) - WINNER
Zoe Ranson (Stray Dog)
Best actor
Vector (Lara and the Beat)
Elijah Baker (Acceptable Damage)
Eddie Linina (Stray Dog)
Aki Omoshaybi (Faces) - WINNER
Best documentary
Block and Censor (Director: Awei Chen)
The ID Project – My Dominica Story (Director: Richard Etienne) - WINNER
The Mayor's Race (Director: Loraine Blumenthal)
Song for our People (Director: Mustapha Khan)
Live Script (presented by HBO)
Loyalty (Written by Jo Southwell) - WINNER
Asylum (Written by Eno Enefiok) - WINNER
Raped (Written by Malcolm J Solomon) - WINNER
Victor Adebodun best feature film award
Faces (Director: Joseph A. Adesunloye) - WINNER
Acceptable Damage (Director: Lavinia Simina)
Lara and the Beat (Director: Tosin Coker)
Stray Dog (Director: Luke Hefferman)
British Urban Film Festival honorary award
Noel Clarke