Film4's Deputy Director Receives Special Award

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has presented a Special Award to Sue Bruce-Smith, Deputy Director at Film4, at BAFTA's headquarters, 195 Piccadilly, at a tribute event on Friday.

BAFTA Trustee and co-president of Cornerstone Films, Alison Thompson, presented Bruce-Smith with the iconic BAFTA mask on the night, highlighting Bruce-Smith’s profound and far reaching contribution to the British film industry over the past 30 years. Speakers included Tessa Ross, BAFTA-winning producer and former head of Film4, Ben Roberts, Deputy CEO of BFI, producer Gail Egan, and Daniel Battsek, Director of Film4.

Bruce-Smith, unaware that she was receiving the BAFTA accolade, was joined by colleagues and friends in celebration of her expansive career to date, including BAFTA-winning directors Steve McQueen and Kevin Macdonald, and BAFTA-winning producers Alison Owen, Liz Karlsen, and Ed Guiney.

She said: "Over the last 30 years, from my somewhat fluky start in the business, I have developed a real love of independent film, film’s power and the collaborative process required for its creation. The world seems such a strange place at the moment and the arts - and within that film - has such an important role to play. I am very grateful to BAFTA for this Award and for prompting me to encourage all women out there not to limit themselves. Be properly ambitious and confident in your own ability to see that ambition realised."