The British Film and Television Academy has announced the 2023 BAFTA Breakthrough cohort, 42 creatives working across film, games and TV from across the U.K., U.S. and India selected to take part in its flagship talent initiative.
Held in partnership with Netflix, the BAFTA Breakthrough program — which is also celebrating its 10th anniversary — is awarded to those either in the midst or on the cusp of their breakthrough moment and is a year-long initiative providing one-to-one meetings, career guidance, mentorship, full voting membership, networking events and access to BAFTA events and screenings, all aimed at helping them take their careers to the next level.
Over the last 10 years, Breakthrough alumni have included some of the most in-demand stars working today, including Florence Pugh, Tom Holland, Laurie Nunn, Letitia Wright, Jessie Buckley and Josh O’Connor.
Among the 2023 crop are standout performers from the past year, including The Last of Us star Bella Ramsey, as well as filmmakers involved in some of the most acclaimed feature debuts, such as Scrapper writer/director Charlotte Regan.
“BAFTA Breakthrough is a gold standard program. And the fact that we are celebrating our ten-year anniversary is a testament to the dedication of our incredible alumni, industry supporters, juries, and industry advisers,” said BAFTA CEO Jane Millichip. “This year’s cohort is really impressive, having already achieved credits in high-end TV drama, debut films, documentaries, hair and make design; and game design. BAFTA Breakthrough is designed to harness that early success and develop the skills for life-long, rewarding careers. Congratulations to this year’s BAFTA Breakthroughs.”
See the full list of 2023 BAFTA Breakthroughs below.
U.K. BREAKTHROUGHS
- Adjani Salmon, writer/performer/exec producer – Dreaming Whilst Black
- Bella Ramsey, performer – The Last of Us
- Cash Carraway, creator/writer/exec producer – Rain Dogs
- Charlotte Regan, writer/director – Scrapper
- Cynthia De La Rosa, hair & makeup artist –Everyone Else Burns
- Ella Glendining, director – Is There Anybody Out There?
- Funmi Olutoye, lead producer – ‘Black History Makers’ (Good Morning Britain)
- Georgia Oakley, writer/director – Blue Jean
- Holly Reddaway, voice and performance director – Baldur’s Gate 3
- Joel Beardshaw, lead designer – Desta: The Memories Between
- Kat Morgan, hair & makeup designer – Blue Jean
- Kathryn Ferguson, writer/director – Nothing Compares
- Kitt (Fiona) Byrne, 2D artist/game designer – Gibbon: Beyond the Trees
- Michael Anderson, producer – Desta: The Memories Between
- Pete Jackson, writer/creator – Somewhere Boy
- Raine Allen-Miller, director – Rye Lane
- Rosy McEwen, performer – Blue Jean
- Samantha Béart, performer – The Excavation of Hob’s Barrow
- Talisha ‘Tee Cee’ Johnson, writer/director/presenter – Too Autistic for Black
- Vivian Oparah, performer – Rye Lane
U.S. BREAKTHROUGHS
- Amanda Kim, documentary director – Nam June Paik: Moon Is The Oldest TV
- Aminah Nieves, performer – 1923
- Apoorva Charan, producer – Joyland
- Cheyenne Pualani Morrin, senior games writer – Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
- Edward Buckles Jr. documentary director – Katrina Babies
- Gary Gunn, composer – A Thousand and One
- Jingyi Shao, writer & director – Chang Can Dunk
- Maria Altamirano, producer – All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt
- Santiago Gonzalez, cinematographer – Shortcomings
- Shelly Yo, writer & director – Smoking Tigers
- Sing J Lee, writer & director – The Accidental Getaway Driver
- Vuk Lungulov-Klotz, writer & director – Mutt
INDIA BREAKTHROUGHS
- Abhay Koranne, writer – Rocket Boys
- Abhinav Tyagi, editor – An Insignificant Man
- Don Chacko Palathara, director/writer – Joyful Mystery
- Kislay, director – Soni
- Lipika Singh Darai, director/writer – Some Stories Around Witches
- Miriam Chandy Menacherry, producer – From the Shadows and The Leopard’s Tribe
- Pooja Rajkumar Rathod, cinematographer – Secrets of the Elephants
- Sanal George, sound editor/mixer/designer – Gangubai Kathiawadi
- Satya Rai Nagpaul, cinematographer – Ghoomketu
- Shardul Bhardwaj, performer – Eeb Allay Ooo!
This story originally appeared on HollywoodReporter