Israeli student film on Holocaust wins BAFTA award

Israeli film students won a BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) award on Friday at the annual Yugo BAFTA Student Awards for 2022, nabbing the accolade in the Live Action category for their film “Girl No. 60427.”

The film, by students Shulamit Lifshitz and Oriel Berkovits from the Ma’aleh School of Television, Film & the Arts in Jerusalem, is about a young girl who discovers a secret diary her grandmother kept during the Holocaust in Poland.

Combining animation and film photography, the 22-minute drama is based on Lifshitz’s relationship with her Holocaust-survivor grandmother and the discovery of her diary during a visit to her Tel Aviv apartment one summer in the late 1990s.

The film was the first-ever finalist from Israel, according to BAFTA. Film finalists were chosen from 82 shortlisted films.

A ceremony was held for the winners in Los Angeles.

In a Facebook post, Ma’aleh congratulated the winners, describing the movie as a “deep and emotional film that brings to extraordinary artistic expression the experiences of the third generation of Holocaust survivors.”

The Israeli film was among 14 other finalists in categories such as animation, documentary, immersive, and games.

BAFTA says the Student Awards “are an important component of BAFTA’s extensive Learning, Inclusion and Talent programs, created to ensure that talented individuals are offered a clear pathway to careers in the entertainment industry, uninhibited by background, demographics or personal circumstance.”

“It is truly remarkable to witness the talent of these emerging filmmakers across the globe,” said Kathryn Busby, chair of the BAFTA North America Board. “The student finalists continue to set the bar higher every year, paving the path and setting a precedent for future filmmakers. BAFTA is thrilled to be a part of their success and to be an advocate for their professional growth for years to come.”