Film the House 2019: Parliamentary-based Competition Shortlist Announced

LONDON, Feb. 3, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Film the House is pleased to announce the shortlisted entrants for the 2019 competition.

Film the House is an annual competition run by MPs to find the filmmakers and scriptwriters of tomorrow. The competition also provides a fun and innovative way to highlight the importance of intellectual property rights to both creators and MPs. This year's competition receives parliamentary sponsorship from Lord Clement-Jones, Wes Streeting MP and Rt Hon John Whittingdale OBE MP.

Each year, young filmmakers and scriptwriters from across the country submit entries for Film the House. This year, films were shared with MPs across a range of categories including Best Script and Best Short Film, with both under and over 16 prizes. The competition also saw the addition of the Directors UK award for Best Film Direction with under and over 16 categories. An expert industry panel of leading figures from across Britain's creative landscape chose the finalists.

The shortlists for this year's competition:

Best Script Under 16

Luke Allen Haughton – Unstable
Freya Hannan-Mills – Swallow

Best Script 16 and Over

Luke Andrews – The Confession
Dan Clifton – Trigger Point
Ella Greenwood – Faulty Roots
Lewis MacKinnon – Men in Skirts
Bertil Nilsson – Repair

Directors UK Best Film Direction Under 16

Luke Allen Haughton – Unstable
Morgan O'Connell – Haven

Directors UK Best Film Direction 16 and Over

Julien Cornwell – Lost Scot
Souvid Datta – Gladiators on Wheels
Matteo Palmas – Man on Bike
Nicole Pott – Kaleidoscope

Best Short Film Under 16

Freya Hannan-Mills – Swallow
Morgan O'Connell – Haven
William Shears – When Did You Know?

Best Short Film 16 and Over

Souvid Datta – Gladiators on Wheels
Tim Goodill – Blood Steel
Lanre Malaolu – The Circle
Ethan McDowell – lúbtha

All shortlisted entrants will be invited to the Film the House Winners' Ceremony at the House of Commons on 3 March 2020 where Helen Lederer, writer, comedian and actor, will compère the ceremony.

The competition enjoys widespread support from industry and is sponsored by the Authors' Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS), Directors UK, Lionsgate, The Motion Picture Association, Sky, ViacomCBS, the Walt Disney Company and Warner Brothers Inc.

Prizes for the winners include:

Screening of their film for friends and family
Mentoring from industry screenwriting professionals                           
Certificate of classification by BBFC
Film the House Award trophy
Cash prize

Lord Puttnam, Patron of Film the House and producer of Oscar winning films including Chariots of Fire, said:

"The UK has always been a hotbed of cinematic talent, which is why it's crucial to constantly remind legislators of the importance of protecting and supporting this rich cultural economy. Film the House is an imaginative Parliamentary competition which manages to be fun whilst giving young creatives an opportunity to engage with their MPs, win fantastic prizes and all the while promote the importance of intellectual property rights."

Paul Powell, comedy writer and 2018 Film the House judge, said:

"The creative industries in the UK are booming right now, with bumper growth in Britain's film, TV, music and digital industries. According to the DCMS, the creative industries are worth £101.5 billion to the UK economy. We need to protect that contribution by supporting new talent, guaranteeing fair remuneration, recognising the importance of Intellectual Property and ring-fencing copyright. From writers and directors through to musicians and games developers, creators are at the heart of the British economy."

Editor's Notes

About the Authors' Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS)

The Authors' Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS) is a not-for-profit organisation started by writers for the benefit of all types of writers. Owned by its members, ALCS collects money due for secondary uses of writers' work. It is designed to support authors and their creativity, ensure they receive fair payment and see their rights are respected. It promotes and teaches the principles of copyright and campaigns for a fair deal. It represents over 100,000 members, and since 1977 has paid around £500 million to writers.

About Directors UK

Directors UK is the professional association of UK screen directors. It is a membership organisation representing the creative, economic and contractual interests of over 7,000 members – the majority of working TV and film directors in the UK.  Directors UK collects and distributes royalty payments and provides a range of services to members including campaigning, commercial negotiations, legal advice, events, training and career development. Directors UK works closely with fellow organisations around the world to represent directors' rights and concerns, promotes excellence in the craft of direction and champions change to the current landscape to create an equal opportunity industry for all.

About Lionsgate

Lionsgate is a global content platform whose films, television series, digital products and linear and over-the-top platforms reach next generation audiences around the world. In addition to its filmed entertainment leadership, Lionsgate content drives a growing presence in interactive games and location-based entertainment, virtual reality and other new entertainment technologies. Lionsgate's content initiatives are backed by a nearly 17,000-title film and television library and delivered through a global licensing infrastructure.

About the Motion Picture Association

The Motion Picture Association (MPA) serves as the voice and advocate of the six major international producers and distributors of films, home entertainment and television programmes. We are champions of IP rights, free and fair trade, innovative consumer choices, freedom of expression and the enduring power of movies to enrich people's lives. To do so, we promote and protect the intellectual property rights of our member companies and conduct public awareness programmes to highlight to movie fans around the world the importance of content protection. These activities have helped to transform entire markets benefiting film and television industries in each country including foreign and local filmmakers alike.

About Sky

Sky is the UK's largest pay-TV broadcaster with 23 million customers as of 2018, providing television and broadband Internet services, fixed line and mobile telephone services to consumers and businesses in the United Kingdom.

About ViacomCBS

ViacomCBS delivers premium content to audiences across traditional and digital platforms worldwide. It owns the Paramount Pictures film studio, the CBS Entertainment Group, TV network brands MTV, Nickelodeon, BET, Comedy Central and Paramount Network, Pluto TV, Showtime, Channel 5 in the UK, Viacom18 in India, Network 10 in Australia, and Telefe in Argentina. Through television, streaming and digital content, studio production, publishing, live event and merchandise ViacomCBS connects with billions of people across more than 180 countries.

About the Walt Disney Company

The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries, is a diversified worldwide entertainment company with operations in four business segments: Media Networks; Parks, Experiences and Products; Studio Entertainment; and Direct-to-Consumer and International.

About Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc

Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. is a fully integrated, broad-based entertainment company and a global leader in the creation, production, distribution, licensing and marketing of all forms of entertainment and their related businesses. A WarnerMedia Company, the Studio is home to one of the most successful collections of brands in the world and stands at the forefront of every aspect of the entertainment industry from feature film, television and home entertainment production and worldwide distribution to DVD and Blu-ray, digital distribution, animation and broadcasting. The company's vast library consists of more than 75,000 hours of programming, including nearly 7,000 feature films and 5,000 television programs. In the UK, Warner Bros. has the broadest footprint of businesses outside of the US, including; Warner Bros. Television Production UK (formerly Shed Media), Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter, TT Games, Rocksteady Studios and WB De Lane Lea.

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