Alongside the highly popular Film and Art School Etudes Competition and Panorama, EnergaCAMERIMAGE annually showcases the student work of a selected film school. This year, the honor goes to the distinguished Cinematography MA of the British National Film and Television School (NFTS), whose students regularly feature in the festival program.
For over 50 years, the UK’s National Film and Television School (NFTS) has established itself as a global powerhouse for nurturing exceptional talent and providing the entertainment industry with the next generation of creative leaders in film, television and games.
The School’s prestigious Cinematography MA is the only two-year professional course of its kind in the UK, commencing each January with a new intake. It is led by award-winning cinematographers Oliver Stapleton BSC and Stuart Harris BSC – thus providing a guarantee that students will learn from the very best in the field of cinematography.
With only 10 students selected each year, entry into the Cinematography MA is highly competitive and attracts applicants from all over the world. Once selected, students get immersed in an intensive curriculum that balances creative vision with technical expertise. By participating in hands-on workshops, practical exercises and masterclasses, they develop the skills to translate screenplays into captivating visual narratives. The course emphasises collaboration and offers critical insights into the history and evolution of cinematography, moulding all-rounder professionals who are ready to meet the industry’s demands.
The NFTS Cinematography MA is more than just a course; it is a gateway to becoming the industry’s most sought-after visual storytellers. Graduates have an impressive track record of success, working on some of the top profile productions in the industry. Renowned cinematographer Roger Deakins learnt his craft at the NFTS, winning two Academy Awards® for Best Cinematography for Blade Runner 2047 and 1917. Molly Manning Walker’s debut feature film How to Have Sex won the Un Certain Regard Grand Prix at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. Graduate Jakob Ihre won an Emmy for Outstanding Cinematography for HBO’s Chernobyl, with other notable alumni including Suzie Lavelle (The End We Start From), Stephan Pehrsson (Wednesday), and Vanessa Whyte (Ted Lasso), all of whom consistently work with major studios, streamers and broadcasters. Additionally, Cinematography alumni have been awarded BAFTAs, Golden Globes and Royal Television Society Awards and have been recognised by both the American and the British Society of Cinematographers.
The NFTS is committed to increasing diversity and empowering underrepresented groups in cinematography. In 2024, Netflix supported a fully funded scholarship at the NFTS for the third consecutive year, specifically designed to support Black British women to become DOPs and with the aim of addressing gender inequality and representation behind the camera. This initiative is part of the School’s ongoing efforts to create a more inclusive industry and inspire a new generation of female cinematographers.
As the industry continues to evolve, the NFTS Cinematography MA empowers its graduates not only to adapt but to lead the change. Armed with cutting-edge knowledge and unwavering craftsmanship, they push the boundaries of visual storytelling, shaping the future of cinematography and consolidating their place as visionary leaders behind the lens.
We invite you to join the NFTS screenings and events during the 32nd EnergaCAMERIMAGE International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography. Alongside short student films by Ursula Pontikos, Jakob Ihre, Lynne Ramsay, and others, which will be presented in two program blocks, we also welcome you to attend the NFTS Seminar: Why Go to Film School?, hosted by cinematographer Oliver Stapleton.
The film review will include:
AZAAR
This powerful graduation film from Myriam Raja and cinematographer, Michael Filocamo tells the story of a tribe of women awaiting their men’s return from war. Azaar, one of the last young girls in the village is intertwined between her mother, grandmother and the rest of the tribe, as she comes to learn the true cost of womanhood. Filmed in Spain over the course of 8 days this film was nominated for the BAFTA for Best Short Film in 2020.
Director: Myriam Raja
Cinematographer: Michael Filocamo
Kraj i rok: Wielka Brytania, 2019
CHINA’S WILD WEST
This documentary was a personal project made by Ula Pontikos BSC on 16mm. Every winter, the Yurunkash River in Western China dries up, reviling an expanse of river worn stones. There, hidden within the rock, lies a buried treasure forty times more valuable than gold – jade. Hundreds of people gather in the riverbed, endlessly scrabbling at rock in search of the jewel. The film premiered at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival.
Director: Urszula Pontikos
Cinematographer: Urszula Pontikos
Country and year: UK, China, 2008
CLOUD IN THE SKY, WATER IN THE GLASS
Ming stopped eating chicken-rice since his girlfriend left. Ling-Yuan can’t stop drinking chilli sauce after Daniel walked out of her life. Did they change, or did the world around them change? In this wonderful graduation film from director Jaymz Wong and cinematographer Suzie Lavelle BSC, ISC they pay tribute to the cinema of China and Hong Kong with its fusion of drama and comedy.
Director: Jaymz Wong
Cinematographer: Suzie Lavelle
Country and year: UK, 2007
THE GIRL WITH TWO HEADS
This 16mm etude was made as part of the NFTS’ First Year Film programme. It follows 18-year-old Anne as she explores body image, self-perception, and her understanding of being a woman today in two contrasting worlds: her traditionally “feminine” mother at home and her friends at the gym, where she trains with like-minded individuals. Lensed by Alana Mejía González, the film was awarded the BSC Best Cinematography in a Student Film award.Director: Betzabé García
Cinematographer: Alana Mejía González
Country and year: UK, 2018
PROCTER
This film from Joachim Trier and Jakob Ihre, follows Charles Procter who witnesses a stranger burn to death but to his surprise finds himself become part of the gruesome event. Procter discovers a video camera capturing him at the scene, however what else he discovers on the tape is more disturbing that the stranger’s death. Procter won Best Short Film at the Edinburgh Festival and was also nominated for the EFA Award for Best Short Film.
Director: Joachim Trier
Cinematographer: Jakob Ihre
Country and year: UK, Norway, 2002
SEA MONSTER
This graduation film follows Alan as he returns to his family home for this mother’s birthday, but soon after arrival tension begins to form between him and his father. As Alan tries to let it pass, he is confronted and reminded of the abuse he suffered at the hands of his father and is compelled to act. Sea Monsters was shot by Danish cinematographer, Stephan Pehrsson BSC, and nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Short Film in 2003.
Director: Mark Walker
Cinematographer: Stephan Pehrsson
Country and year: UK, 2003
SLAP
This film was made as part of the NFTS’ First Year Film programme, shot on 16mm. The film charts a teenage male boxer who finds that expressing himself with makeup and female attire gives him a sense of freedom. Slap confronts masculinity in the sporting world and how one man tries to define his own sense of masculinity. Slap, lensed by Sverre Sørdal, was nominated for both the BAFTA and BIFA Awards for Best Short Film.
Director: Nick Rowland
Cinematographer: Sverre Sørdal
Country and year: UK, 2014
SMALL DEATHS
This film presents three episodes in the life of a girl growing up in a Glasgow housing estate. It was Lynne Ramsay’s graduation from the National Film and Television School. Alwin Küchler BSC shot the segment Joke with Lynne Ramsay (who studied Cinematography at the NFTS), shooting the remaining two segments. Small Deaths would go on to win the Best Short Film (Jury Prize) at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival.
Director: Lynne Ramsay
Cinematographers: Alwin H. Küchler, Lynne Ramsay
Country and year: UK, 1996
UNTIL THE RIVER RUNS RED
This film follows Chloe, who believes she is the only daughter of God. Her parents love her but hide her away from the world. Memories from Chloe’s upbringing piece together another story and unveil a quest for a red river, which she must find so that she may transcend to heaven. To create the unique look cinematographer Annika Summerson BSC shot with 16mm, 8mm, Canon 5D and Mini DV. Until the River Runs Red won the BAFTA for Best Short Film in 2010.
Director: Paul Wright
Cinematographers: Annika Summerson
Country and year: UK, 2010
Comment / David Raedeker BSC / member of the BSC sustainability committee