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Meet the Judges
Award Judges
Please see below our Judging Panel.
The National Youth Film Awards are judged by film industry experts in their field, We wish to thank our panel all of who have volunteered their time to help recognise and promote the talent of young filmmakers and actors aged 16 - 29 . You can find out more about our judges by clicking on their profile.
Award winners will be announced at the ceremony in London on Saturday 3rd December.
National Youth Film Awards
JUDGING PANEL
Edgar Wright
Edgar Howard Wright is an English filmmaker. In 2004, Wright directed the zombie comedy Shaun of the Dead, starring Pegg and Frost, the first film in Wright's Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy. The film was co-written with Pegg—as were the next two entries in the trilogy, the buddy cop film Hot Fuzz (2007) and the science fiction comedy The World's End (2013). In 2010, Wright co-wrote and directed the action comedy film Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, an adaptation of the graphic novel series. Along with Joe Cornish and Steven Moffat, he adapted The Adventures of Tintin (2011) for Steven Spielberg. Wright and Cornish co-wrote the screenplay for the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Ant-Man in 2015, which Wright intended to direct but abandoned, citing creative differences. He has also directed the action film Baby Driver (2017), and recently the documentary The Sparks Brothers (2021), as well as the psychological horror film Last Night in Soho (2021).
Charlie Rowe
Charlie is an English actor. Best known for playing Ray Williams in the feature film Rocketman alongside Taron Egerton. As well as the CBS TV series Salvation. His film roles also include Young Tommy in Never Let Me Go, James in The Boat That Rocked, Billy Costa in The Golden Compass, Peter in the SyFy/Sky Movies Peter Pan prequel Neverland, and recently played Leo Roth on the Fox medical comedy-drama series Red Band Society alongside Octavia Spencer and Dave Annable.
Simon Bird
Simon is best known as Will McKenzie from BAFTA-winning sitcom The Inbetweeners and Adam Goodman from Rose D’Or-winning sitcom Friday Night Dinner. He has won British Comedy Awards for Best Actor and Best Newcomer, and been nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Comedy Actor and a RTS Award for Best Comedy Performance. Recently he has moved into directing – his first feature film, Days of the Bagnold Summer, was released in 2020 and described by Mark Kermode as “a gem of a movie…laugh-out-loud funny and piercingly poignant”. He directed Series 3 of Pls Like and the first series of Ellie & Natasia, both for the BBC. He also co-created and starred in Sky 1’s Chickens (nominated for Best Sitcom at the Broadcast Awards), created and hosted panel show The King Is Dead for BBC3, and released his debut stand-up show Debrief on All4. Alongside Jonny Sweet, he recently set up People Person Pictures, an independent TV and film production company backed by BBC Studios – they have commissions from Netflix, BBC Films and Studiocanal.
He hosted alongside Nick Mohammed and Katy Wix. Another of Bird's projects is Friday Night Dinner, a single-camera comedy written by Robert Popper and made by Big Talk Productions. Although his character in Friday Night Dinner is a member of a Jewish family (the Friday night dinner being a Jewish tradition).
Simon Bird returned to the character of Will McKenzie in The Inbetweeners Movie which was released on 17 August 2011. Bird has also recently co-created, co-written, and co-starred in a pilot, 'Chickens', for Channel 4, alongside Jonny Sweet and Joe Thomas. It is about three men who remain in England during World War I. It was broadcast as part of Channel 4's Comedy Showcase season. In 2012, Sky1 picked up a 6 episode season, filming began in late 2012 and the series premiered in Summer 2013.
He hosted alongside Nick Mohammed and Katy Wix. Another of Bird's projects is Friday Night Dinner, a single-camera comedy written by Robert Popper and made by Big Talk Productions. Although his character in Friday Night Dinner is a member of a Jewish family (the Friday night dinner being a Jewish tradition).
Simon Bird returned to the character of Will McKenzie in The Inbetweeners Movie which was released on 17 August 2011. Bird has also recently co-created, co-written, and co-starred in a pilot, 'Chickens', for Channel 4, alongside Jonny Sweet and Joe Thomas. It is about three men who remain in England during World War I. It was broadcast as part of Channel 4's Comedy Showcase season. In 2012, Sky1 picked up a 6 episode season, filming began in late 2012 and the series premiered in Summer 2013.
Peter Baynham
Peter is an Oscar nominated screenwriter and performer. He often collaborates with Armando Iannucci, Chris Morris, Steve Coogan, Sacha Baron Cohen and has worked with Stewart Lee and Richard Herring. He has written for TV comedy series including The Day Today, I'm Alan Partridge, Brass Eye and Jam. In 2006 Baynham co-wrote the movie Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan together with Sacha Baron Cohen, Anthony Hines and Dan Mazer, for which they received a 2007 Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. He also co-wrote the movie's 2020 sequel, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, which was nominated for a 2021 Oscar in the same category as its predecessor. He has also co-written Brüno, Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa and the animated features Arthur Christmas, Hotel Transylvania and 2021's Ron's Gone Wrong. Baynham cohosts the podcast Brain Cigar with long-time writing partner Jeremy Simmonds.
Baynham was first heard on Chris Morris's early radio DJ slots, often appearing in and writing for The Chris Morris Music Show, and wrote with Morris on the radio series Blue Jam. Other works include the "comic book in radio format" series The Harpoon and the animated sitcom I Am Not an Animal. He has appeared on the stand-up circuit as Mr Buckstead, the psychotic maths teacher and poet, played Terry the "Too Gorgeous" man in a series of mid-1990s Pot Noodle adverts (a campaign he co-wrote with Iannucci) and the role of "Peter from Balham" in the TV series Fist of Fun with Lee and Herring.
Baynham was first heard on Chris Morris's early radio DJ slots, often appearing in and writing for The Chris Morris Music Show, and wrote with Morris on the radio series Blue Jam. Other works include the "comic book in radio format" series The Harpoon and the animated sitcom I Am Not an Animal. He has appeared on the stand-up circuit as Mr Buckstead, the psychotic maths teacher and poet, played Terry the "Too Gorgeous" man in a series of mid-1990s Pot Noodle adverts (a campaign he co-wrote with Iannucci) and the role of "Peter from Balham" in the TV series Fist of Fun with Lee and Herring.
Yasmin Al-Khudhairi
Industry celebrated, Yasmin Al-Khudhairi is a British actress who is known for Killing Eve, Hilda and playing the role of Fizza in Ackley Bridge.
Yero Timi-Biu
Yero Timi-Biu is a British-Nigerian writer-director for TV and film with projects for BBC, Channel 4, BFI, Sky and Netflix. Yero is also a story editor for audio and worked on ‘The Bias Diagnosis’, an original Audible commission. Her award-winning short films ‘Signs’ and ‘Beneath the Surface’ have played at international festivals such as Encounters, Aesthetica, Animation Block Party. Yero's film '0.5%' was commissioned by BBC Arts and will be released on iPlayer. Yero was most recently commissioned by the Booker Prize to direct two films for the 2021 shortlisted authors. With over a decade of experience, Yero’s first job was at the BBC during her A-Levels. Yero has original shows in development with various indies and was one of Edinburgh TV Festival's prestigious 'Ones to Watch' candidates for 2020.Yero’s work focuses on the stories of underrepresented women, especially exploring the effects of isolation and loneliness in society.
Jess Loveland
Jess is the head of BBC Writers Room and BBC Drama Commissioning.
Ben Palmer
Ben Palmer is a British film and television director. His television credits include the Channel 4 sketch show Bo' Selecta! (2002–2006), the second and third series of the E4 sitcom The Inbetweeners (2009–2010) and the Sky Atlantic comedy-drama Breeders (2020). Palmer has also directed films such as the Inbetweeners spin-off, The Inbetweeners Movie (2011) and the romantic comedy Man Up (2015).
Freya Parks
Freya Parks is a London born actress. Film and TV include Etty Darwin in Jon Amiel's Creation (2009), Helen Burns in Cary Fukunaga's Jane Eyre (2011), Tom Hooper's Les Miserables (2012), The Life and Adventures of Nick Nickleby (2012), Tasha Robson the lead role in Bliss! (2016), School’s Out Forever (2021) and Rodrigo Cortés’ Love Gets a Room.
Theatre includes various Sonnet Walks devised by Mark Rylance at Shakespeare’s Globe, The Malcontent at The Sam Wanamaker Playhouse and Teddy at The Vaults. She was also a member of the National Youth Theatre.
Parks can currently be seen as Amy Jessop in Here We Go (2022-) on BBC One and iPlayer and will be playing Hester in Paul Feig’s upcoming movie, The School for Good and Evil (2022) which is out on Netflix later this year.
Theatre includes various Sonnet Walks devised by Mark Rylance at Shakespeare’s Globe, The Malcontent at The Sam Wanamaker Playhouse and Teddy at The Vaults. She was also a member of the National Youth Theatre.
Parks can currently be seen as Amy Jessop in Here We Go (2022-) on BBC One and iPlayer and will be playing Hester in Paul Feig’s upcoming movie, The School for Good and Evil (2022) which is out on Netflix later this year.
Keri Collins
Keri is a BAFTA winning director and writer whose work has feature on Netflix, Sky, BBC, Fox, and The Sunday Times.
In 2018 he sold a comedy feature spec script to an Emmy winning production company.
His debut feature film; a comedy titled 'Convenience', starred a large ensemble cast of British and American comedy talent. The film received multiple 4 star reviews and was acquired by Netflix. Keri won the BAFTA Cymru Breakthrough Award for his work on that film.
His short film 'Funday' was nominated for a BAFTA Cymru Award for Best Short Form.
He was also previously mentored by Sir Kenneth Branagh as part of the prestigious Guiding Lights scheme in the UK, and named as one of the Screen International Stars of Tomorrow in 2014.
In 2018 he sold a comedy feature spec script to an Emmy winning production company.
His debut feature film; a comedy titled 'Convenience', starred a large ensemble cast of British and American comedy talent. The film received multiple 4 star reviews and was acquired by Netflix. Keri won the BAFTA Cymru Breakthrough Award for his work on that film.
His short film 'Funday' was nominated for a BAFTA Cymru Award for Best Short Form.
He was also previously mentored by Sir Kenneth Branagh as part of the prestigious Guiding Lights scheme in the UK, and named as one of the Screen International Stars of Tomorrow in 2014.
Kalaiyashni Puvanendran
Kalaiyashni is a Diversity & Inclusion Programme Delivery Partner at ITV. As part of the Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) team, she helps deliver ITV’s Diversity Acceleration Plan, driving change on-screen, off-screen, and across ITV. She also collaborates with others across the broadcasting industry on D&I initiatives through the Creative Diversity Network.
Previously, Kalaiyashni was a D&I Project Manager at global health charity Wellcome, where she co-created and co-led their anti-racism programme, and she was a D&I Assistant Consultant at King’s College London. She is also a trustee of Hera, an arts organisation that celebrates and shares the stories and music of marginalised artists.
https://www.itv.com/inclusion
Previously, Kalaiyashni was a D&I Project Manager at global health charity Wellcome, where she co-created and co-led their anti-racism programme, and she was a D&I Assistant Consultant at King’s College London. She is also a trustee of Hera, an arts organisation that celebrates and shares the stories and music of marginalised artists.
https://www.itv.com/inclusion
Sanjivi Krishnan
Sanj is Production Officer at Film London. As part of the Talent Development & Production team, Sanj works on Film London’s schemes for new and emerging filmmakers. His work includes coordinating the Production Finance Market New Talent Strand for first-time feature filmmakers and the UPstream IP market, as well as overseeing production of short films, including Film London’s recent Catalan collaboration Un Vocabulari per al futur. A screenwriter in his own right, Sanj is a graduate of UCLA’s screenwriting MFA program and a BAFTA scholar. He has written for animation and is working on various film and TV projects.
Jack Webb
Jack is Head of Theatrical at Entertainment Film Distributions. One of the most notable series of films distributed to date is The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
The company have released many BAFTA- and Oscar-winning films including The Departed, Million Dollar Baby, Gosford Park, Brokeback Mountain and The Artist.
The company have released many BAFTA- and Oscar-winning films including The Departed, Million Dollar Baby, Gosford Park, Brokeback Mountain and The Artist.
Philip Méheux
Philip Méheux, BSC is an English cinematographer. He has often worked with directors John Mackenzie, Martin Campbell and Raja Gosnell. He was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Cinematography for the 2006 James Bond film Casino Royale. He is a member of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, and served as President of the British Society of Cinematographers between 2002 and 2006.
Noel Goodwin
Noel is the man behind the BFI Future Film Festival and BFI Future Film events since 2008, he is now developing opportunities for young aspiring filmmakers (aged 16-25) for the wider BFI Film Academy online, and in partnership with venues and film organisations across the UK.
Noel was also the recipient of last years Outstanding Contribution to the Development of Young Film Talent Award
Noel was also the recipient of last years Outstanding Contribution to the Development of Young Film Talent Award
Philippa Cousins
Philippa is UKTV’s dedicated drama commissioner.
Since joining in 2018, Philippa has commissioned seven high performing original series, including two series of the hit forensic programme
Traces and two series of detective thriller We Hunt Together and the dark and original Ragdoll - a serial killer thriller based on the bestselling novel by Daniel Cole, co-commissioned with AMC, produced by Sid Gentle Films Ltd (the company behind Killing Eve). Next up, she has commissioned UKTV’s first European based drama series, The Diplomat, written by Ben Richards (Spooks, Showtrial) and Executive Produced by World Productions (Bodyguard, Line of Duty).
Phillipa’s commission of Annika S1, a co-commission with US network Masterpiece, has become Alibi’s highest rating show ever with the launch episode consolidating to over 1.3 million viewers - the top programme on the UKTV network. Annika S2 is being written for an autumn shoot.
Prior to joining UKTV, Philippa was the head of drama development at Hartswood West, head of drama Development at Fresh One and head of production for BBC Series
and Serials in BBC Indie Drama Commissioning. She won best European Director for her film Happy Now and is the BAFTA-award winning director behind The Deadness of Dad.
Since joining in 2018, Philippa has commissioned seven high performing original series, including two series of the hit forensic programme
Traces and two series of detective thriller We Hunt Together and the dark and original Ragdoll - a serial killer thriller based on the bestselling novel by Daniel Cole, co-commissioned with AMC, produced by Sid Gentle Films Ltd (the company behind Killing Eve). Next up, she has commissioned UKTV’s first European based drama series, The Diplomat, written by Ben Richards (Spooks, Showtrial) and Executive Produced by World Productions (Bodyguard, Line of Duty).
Phillipa’s commission of Annika S1, a co-commission with US network Masterpiece, has become Alibi’s highest rating show ever with the launch episode consolidating to over 1.3 million viewers - the top programme on the UKTV network. Annika S2 is being written for an autumn shoot.
Prior to joining UKTV, Philippa was the head of drama development at Hartswood West, head of drama Development at Fresh One and head of production for BBC Series
and Serials in BBC Indie Drama Commissioning. She won best European Director for her film Happy Now and is the BAFTA-award winning director behind The Deadness of Dad.
Dan Hubbard CDG CSA
Dan has worked in casting for over 20 years. He is son of Ros and John Hubbard and Brother of Amy Hubbard. Dan has carved out his own career independently over the years and is now one of the UK’s leading screen Casting Directors.
Upcoming films and TV for release:
Guy Ritchie’s ‘Operation Fortune: Ruse De Guerre’, Guy Ritchie’s ‘Wrath Of Man’, The Protégé, Devils Season 2, Creation Stories, Silent Night Produced by Matthew Vaughan.
Film:
The Outpost, Black ’47, Captain Phillips, King Kong, The Bourne Supremacy and Bourne Ultimatum, The Damned United, Polar, Angel Has Fallen, The Fall, Ill Manors, Harry Brown, Black Beauty, Hellboy, The Keeper, Stardust (David Bowie Biopic).
Television:
Devils for The CW, Elizabeth is Missing for BBC One, Medici and Pine Gap for Netflix, NOS4A2 for AMC, WE’RE DOOMED! THE Dad’s Army Story, American Odyssey, Chasing Shadows, Downton Abbey, Sinbad, Teenage Kicks, All in the game, Murder City, Omagh, Keen Eddie, Pulling Moves, Helen of Troy, The Investigation, Paradise Heights, Dark Realm, The Murder of Stephen Lawrence and The Jump.
Upcoming films and TV for release:
Guy Ritchie’s ‘Operation Fortune: Ruse De Guerre’, Guy Ritchie’s ‘Wrath Of Man’, The Protégé, Devils Season 2, Creation Stories, Silent Night Produced by Matthew Vaughan.
Film:
The Outpost, Black ’47, Captain Phillips, King Kong, The Bourne Supremacy and Bourne Ultimatum, The Damned United, Polar, Angel Has Fallen, The Fall, Ill Manors, Harry Brown, Black Beauty, Hellboy, The Keeper, Stardust (David Bowie Biopic).
Television:
Devils for The CW, Elizabeth is Missing for BBC One, Medici and Pine Gap for Netflix, NOS4A2 for AMC, WE’RE DOOMED! THE Dad’s Army Story, American Odyssey, Chasing Shadows, Downton Abbey, Sinbad, Teenage Kicks, All in the game, Murder City, Omagh, Keen Eddie, Pulling Moves, Helen of Troy, The Investigation, Paradise Heights, Dark Realm, The Murder of Stephen Lawrence and The Jump.
Anuree De Silva
Anuree has nearly twenty years’ experience as an editor working across both feature film and episodic television. From assembling the iconic British feature ‘Trainspotting’ to comedy ‘Christmas Survival’, her route to the editor’s chair has comprised psychological thriller, horror, romance, comedy and documentary.
Sean Gascoine
Has been a talent and literary agent for over 25 years, firstly at Talent Agency Lou Coulson Associates , where he was instrumental in nurturing and discovering some of Britain’s most recognisable acting Talent, including Andy Serkis, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Keeley Hawes, Minnie Driver, Lena Headey and Kelly Reilly , he then went on to establish a literary department at Lou Coulson’s, launching the careers of playwright Kwame Kwei Armah and film directors David Mackenzie and Paul Andrew Williams.
For the last 12 years he’s worked at United agents as a partner in the Film and TV department, representing an International roster of Directors and Writers.
https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/sgascoineunitedagentscouk
For the last 12 years he’s worked at United agents as a partner in the Film and TV department, representing an International roster of Directors and Writers.
https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/sgascoineunitedagentscouk