Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) is pleased to confirm the return of the Student Critics Jury. Now in its second year, the initiative supports the future of film criticism and this year will bring to Edinburgh a jury of seven aspiring film critics.
The Student Critics Jury programme, inaugurated at EIFF 2012, affirms EIFF’s support for the future of film criticism by giving the next generation of film critics an opportunity to gain practical experience in their craft under the guidance of established professional critics. Members of the jury are selected from applications received from Scotland’s colleges and universities. In addition to giving an award, the jury members will write short essays about the films and the festival. Selected pieces will be published on the EIFF web site. The jurors will also determine the winner of the Student Critics Jury Award, presented at the EIFF Awards Ceremony.
Chris Fujiwara, Artistic Director of EIFF, said: “This is a time of huge changes in the profession and the practice of film criticism, and it’s more vital than ever that upcoming critics be given the encouragement and the opportunities they need to advance in their field. I’m very happy that again this year, thanks to the generous support of James and Morag Anderson, our festival will confirm our commitment to this mission in a concrete and practical manner. I look forward to meeting this year’s Student Critics in Edinburgh.”
The students will be chosen on the basis of a 500 word essay submitted by 13 May which can be written on any recent or classic film, demonstrating the applicant’s writing skills as well as passion for and knowledge of cinema. Once selected, the seven chosen students will be brought to Edinburgh for six days of the festival (EIFF runs 19-30 June), during which they will be mentored by leading international critics.
Last year’s Student Critics Jury members were Genevieve Bicknell from Edinburgh College of Art, Jonathan Glen from Glasgow University, and Liam Nolan from Napier University, who awarded the prize to ‘Sleepless Night’ directed by Jang Kun-jae for “his simple yet compelling story of modern romance in which the unremarkable becomes remarkable.”
For applications and enquiries about bursaries contact: education@cmi-scotland.co.uk and for further information visit:http://www.edfilmfest.org.uk/learning
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
