Ahead of this weekend’s BAFTA Film Awards ceremony, Jane Milton talks films, graduate success and how we should all be supporting our local cinemas.

As a BAFTA winner, I will be watching the 2026 annual film awards with keen interest. For the winners, these awards are not only a personal triumph but, as we tell our film students, it is also a celebration of the team which brings the story to the screen.  

The BAFTA film awards are the British equivalent to the Oscars. It is an opportunity to celebrate the craft and skills of filmmakers, considering the best films both nationally and internationally. As a filmmaker and lecturer, this is a regular date in the TV diary for me on the BBC.  

Of course, films like Sinners, Marty Supreme and One Battle After Another have been garnering the headlines and rightly so but, look out for these less high-profile British films, which have not necessarily had the same star power or marketing budget, like I Swear and The Ballad of Wallis Island.  

Finally, in the category for outstanding debut British director, producer or writer, watch out for My Father’s Shadow. It is the debut of British-Nigerian director Akinola Davies Jr, who wrote the screenplay with his brother. It is set in Lagos and tells the story of two boys briefly reunited with their absent father. It is both deeply moving and a highly intriguing film. I am also delighted to see that one of our alumni, Lucy Drury, who was a Film, Radio and TV student here at CCCU is a co-producer. It is a proud moment to see her name on the credits. In fact, she was involved in not just one, but two films (Pillion), which are up for awards at the BAFTAs. It is an incredibly competitive industry, and this success is testament to her drive and creativity. Throughout their time studying with us we equip our students not only with the practical skills to succeed, but also provide them with exclusive insights from industry professionals, many of whom are part of our extensive alumni network. We encourage them to explore and understand the roles and opportunities available to them after graduation, and the importance of creating short films to help students discover and develop their creative voices. Most importantly, we encourage them to immerse themselves fully in the world of film, and experience it the way it was meant to be seen, on the big screen, at the cinema. 

Of course, it is a challenging time for cinemas. Following the impact of Covid, fewer people were going to the cinema, and now they are competing with the streamers that can show new releases in our own home. But cinemas are looking at new ways to draw us back in. One such initiative is with film clubs that serve niche or generic film interests and help to create a sense of shared community through film.  

Across the region, we are seeing many starting up in places like at the Ramsgate community cinema, the Whitstable Pearl at the Horsebridge centre in Whitstable and a monthly event run by Canterbury Cathedral.  

At CCCU, I co-run a film partnership event called Screen Talks with Dr Susan Civale and the Curzon Westgate. It runs bi-weekly, with one of my academic colleagues introducing a film that taps into their research and passions. It is a way for the University to pass on its knowledge and engage and give back to our local community. We draw upon an extremely wide range of speakers, from archaeologists to social scientists, to graphic designers and of course film theorists. Students and members of the public are hugely enjoying the experience, so after the BAFTAs, we’d love to see you there. 

Find out more: https://www.curzon.com/screen-talks-canterbury/ 

Jane Milton is a Senior Lecturer in Film and TV.