#EEBAFTAS 2016 – Three films with South Asian angle up for awards

February 12 2016

THREE FILMS all with a South Asian angle are up for a documentary BAFTA on Sunday (February 14).

“He Named Me Malala”, “Amy” and “Sherpa” are up against “Cartel Land” and “Listen to Me Marlon”.

“Amy” is also up for an outstanding British Film award, along with “45 Years”, “Brooklyn”, “The Danish Girl” and “Ex Machina”.

Directed by American Davis Guggenheim, “He Named Me Malala” is an intimate portrait of Malala Yousafzai, the teenager who defied the Taliban and now lives in Birmingham. Premiered in the UK at the London Film Festival in October, we were among the first to see it in the UK. Review

Asif Kapadia is the director behind “Amy”, a film about the rise, fall and eventual death of jazz sensation, Amy Winehouse.

Unveiled first at the Cannes Film Festival in May, we were among the first hundred or so of the world’s press to see a film that has gone onto create British film history. It is now the highest box office grossing documentary ever released in Britain and is quite an achievement for Kapadia after his first documentary, “Senna” held the previous accolade and also garnered much critical acclaim.
Our review is here

Not long after, the Hackney-born filmmaker appeared at the East End Film Festival to talk about it. Read what our correspondent as a non-Amy fan made of it…Tasha Mathur on Amy at East End Film Festival

Made by Aussie Jennifer Peedom, “Sherpa” is a powerful tale charting the troubles at the roof of the world – on Mount Everest as Sherpas and western climbers clash over safety. Filmed during the period of the shocking deaths of 16 Sherpas one morning in April 2014, it chronicles the profound upset and fallout during that Everest climbing season.Released last year, we saw it more recently as BAFTA members came to cast their vote.
The review of “Sherpa” is here

A host of stars are expected to attend the glittering awards, among the British Asian contingent will be Riz Ahmed.

All three documentary films are beautifully constructed and are powerfully told – who will win in this section?

If we had to decide between these three super films, “Amy” would edge it in the documentary category, but perhaps we’re biased…

The EE British Academy Film Awards take place this Sunday (February 14). Red carpet coverage begins 5pm (UK time) http://www.bafta.org/film/awards
Coverage on BBC 1 begins at 9pm. There is a Red Carpet highlight programme on BBC 3 at 8.30pm.
#EEBAFTAS

Trailers
“He Named Me Malala”

“Amy”

“Sherpa”