BAFTA to Introduce Five New Competitive Awards

BAFTA is adding five new awards to celebrate the best of films, games and television for children and families.

Three new categories celebrating children’s television and the people who bring the genre to life on- and off-screen will be introduced into next year’s BAFTA Television Awards with P&O Cruises and the BAFTA Television Craft Awards. Those new categories are children’s scripted, children’s non-scripted and children’s craft team. All three categories will focus on celebrating television for audiences aged 16 and under.

A new Children and Family Film Award will feature in next year’s EE BAFTA Film Awards, celebrating the very best of films appealing to inter-generational audiences, alongside a Family Award in the BAFTA Games Awards.

Sara Putt, BAFTA chair, said: “Film, games and television hold a magical, unique and vital place in our culture, and the children’s stories made for our screens are so often developed with immense skill, warmth and creativity. The inclusion of five new categories across our internationally renowned awards in film, games and TV will enable us to bring the very best of the screen arts to even wider audiences. Celebrating this essential creative community in all of our awards ceremonies also shines a light on our vital year-round work to inspire and nurture the next generation of talent. We are grateful for the generosity of time and expertise of the Young BAFTA Advisory Board, led by Andrew Miller, for their expert guidance as we begin this very exciting new chapter.”

Andrew Miller MBE, chair of the Young BAFTA Advisory Group and BAFTA Trustee, said: “The children’s screen industries leads the way when it comes to diverse and educational storytelling, and it’s an important and essential talent pipeline—with British children’s screen characters beloved by families across the world. Many on- and off-screen creatives and practitioners working across the sector owe their careers to children’s media, including me. I’m delighted the creators of trailblazing films, games and television will have their work seen and celebrated by audiences around the world through BAFTA’s high-profile awards ceremonies, bolstered by year-round industry support and a range of national initiatives to inspire the next generation. It’s an honor to help contribute to this essential and timely work.”