Strong Scottish television and film Bafta presence hailed

Scottish Television, Grampian Television and Scottish Screen have hailed the strong Scottish presence in this year's Orange Bafta film nominations list, announced on January 17.
Andrea Gibb, writer of the New Found Film Afterlife has been nominated for the Carl Foreman Award for Special Achievement by a British Director/Producer or writer in their First Feature Film. 'Afterlife', which had its cinematic release in 2004, is Gibb's first screenplay. The film is about love and filial responsibility and won the Audience Award at the 2003 Edinburgh International Film Festival.
In the same category, Shona Auerbach has been nominated for the direction of newly released Scottish film 'Dear Frankie', which tells the story of Lizzie, who has told her son Frankie (10) that his father is at sea. Then one day she discovers to her horror that the boat she has invented is docking in a nearby port. Desperate to protect Frankie from the truth, she hires a stranger for the day to be his dad.
New Found Land short film 'Elephant Boy' has been nominated in the category of Short Film. Made as part of the highly successful New Found Land production scheme run by Scottish Screen, Scottish TV and Grampian TV, Elephant Boy tells the story of a Scottish Asian woman who is profoundly moved by an encounter with Rajesh, an Indian beggar boy with disfigured feet and how her act of charity inadvertently sends the boy on a soul-searching but ultimately spiritual journey. The film will be aired on Scottish TV and Grampian TV later this year.
Also in the Short Film category Amy Neil receives a nomination for 'Can't Stop Breathing', the moving tale of a daughter's struggle to come to terms with her mother's dementia.
Agnes Wilkie, Executive Producer for New Found Land at Scottish TV, said: "It's a great achievement for these productions to be short listed for the Baftas and we're hugely excited for the teams involved. This is testament to the excellent talent involved in each project and the success of the New Found Land and New Found Film productions schemes."
Carole Sheridan, Scottish Screen's Development Executive, added: "It is very gratifying that Scotland is so well represented in this year's Bafta Film Awards. We are delighted that the New Found Land schemes we produce with Scottish TV and Grampian TV have proved so popular and we are thrilled that Dear Frankie, a film that is receiving great reviews, is also nominated. Amy Neil is new young writer director and I am sure we will be hearing more from her in the years to come. We are very pleased her talent has been recognised with this nomination for her first short film."
(GB)