Bafta scraps LA’s Britannia Awards, units year-round US particular awards | Information

Bafta has scrapped the high-profile Britannia Awards in Los Angeles, moreover asserting that it’s increasing its exercise with year-round displays of particular awards within the US.

The plan is to stage a rolling schedule of bespoke occasions honouring expertise in movie, tv and video games. An inaugural occasion is anticipated to happen in Los Angeles, nonetheless at time of writing Bafta representatives had not replied to supply a date.

The transfer comes one yr after Bafta expanded its North American operations to deal with membership advantages and develop its inclusion and expertise programmes. The group had an inaugural presence at Toronto Worldwide Movie Competition.

Nonetheless UK expatriates in Hollywood and the trade at giant will lament the disappearance of the star-studded Britannia Awards. The favored ceremony honouring UK and world expertise was established to spice up Bafta’s profile and shine a lightweight on UK expertise in Hollywood.

It grew to become a signature occasion for Bafta LA and a well timed awards season staging submit for Hollywood expertise, sometimes going down in late October at The Beverly Hilton.

But sources say the destiny of the Britannias had been below dialogue for some years. It was cancelled in 2020 as a result of pandemic and once more in 2021, when organisers mentioned they’d reschedule for this yr.

Recipients of the brand new particular awards all year long might be proposed by Bafta members, sector committees and the Bafta North America board chaired by Kathryn Busby, and every will get a Bafta masks.

Busby referred to as Monday’s (September 26) developments “an extremely thrilling second”, whereas Matthew Wiseman, government director and head of North America for Bafta, added: “To have the ability to seize the identical spirit and heat of the Britannia Awards occasion, and now current honorary awards all year long and in several cities, is an thrilling prospect that can allow BAFTA to rejoice those that have made distinctive contributions to our trade in much more impactful and distinctive methods.”

Bafta LA was established in 1987, adopted by Bafta New York in 1996. There are near 2,000 North American members and actions embrace screenings and Q&A programmes, tea events, Bafta Breakthrough USA, the Yugo Bafta Scholar Awards, the US Newcomers Program, scholarships, and the Vance Byrd Mentorship programme.