Almost £200k awarded to mixture of businesses and individuals in Reel Impact programme

The Film and TV Charity (FTVC) has completed its largest funding round for its Reel Impact Awards, touching the £200,000 mark.

The Reel Impact Awards programme, which was launched in 2022, delivered 10 prizes to six Black and global majority-led organisations, and four mid-career and senior Black and global majority individuals. This year, the funding round saw £187,619 awarded to the 10 successful applicants.

The programme builds on the charity’s commitments made in 2020 to elevate, support and invest in Black and global majority talent, and is designed to champion individuals and organisations driving meaningful change and helping to create a more equitable screen industry.

Four organisations receiving funds to support their business development are:

AiAi Studios Ltd, which will use funding to improve its broadcast-quality production hub and support a partnerships lead role to help drive new commissions and strengthen its position as a leading Northern, Black-led audiovisual facility.

Annie Little Hair Arts | BLCKSTR will establish the studio and generate new revenue and paid opportunities for Black and global majority creatives.

S.O.U.L Fest will use funding to strengthen its commercial resilience through a specialist sponsorship consultancy, fundraising support and talent PR ahead of next year’s festival.

Black Women in Scripted will use the money to develop a sustainable year-round platform and deliver at least six initiatives and 200 participant places for Black women across scripted film and television.

An additional two organisations, Creative Access and Futures in Film, have been granted funding for projects that are helping to advance race equity. Creative Access will create a pipeline of Black and global majority leaders, supporting 16 mid-to-senior screen professionals and engaging 50 more via masterclass and networking events.

Futures in Film will develop and pilot a practical faith inclusion toolkit to remove faith-related barriers affecting Black and global majority professionals in UK film and TV.

The four individuals receiving funding for personal and professional development are Amir Adhamy, to upgrade his editing suite; Mariayah Kaderbhai, to launch Miss-Represent’s first strand on Islamophobia and producing events; Moses Ssebandeke, to develop his directing practice while creating a community asset that supports other filmmakers and creatives; and Runako Celina, to develop her filmmaking through storytelling platform ReRooted, which will feed into The ReRooted Room, a community of over 25 Black and Brown creatives.

“Once again, we saw an incredibly strong field of applications, demonstrating the depth of talent, creativity and leadership among Black and global majority professionals across our industry,” said Marcus Ryder, the FTVC’s chief executive.

“We believe these awards will make a real difference, not only to the individuals and organisations receiving funding, but also by helping to address some of the systemic barriers that continue to drive racial inequity in film and television.”