BFI & Chanel Filmmaker Awards 2026 go to four UK filmmakers at Claridge's
The BFI and Chanel named four winners of the fifth Filmmaker Awards at a Claridge's ceremony in London, each receiving £20,000. Jessie Buckley and Gwendoline Christie sat on the jury and announced the winners.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2The BFI announced the winners of its fifth annual Filmmaker Awards, held in partnership with Chanel, at an event at Claridge's Hotel in London on Wednesday 14 October 2026. DeadlineN “The BFI has announced the winners of its fifth annual Filmmaker Awards, hosted in partnership with French fashion house Chanel.” Read at Deadline ↗ The Hollywood ReporterLC “during an opulent ceremony at London’s Claridge’s Hotel on Wednesday” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ Centre · 1The four 2026 winners are Rich Felgate (We, The Hated), Olive Nwosu (Lady), Imran Perretta (Ish) and Rachel Taparjan (Something Familiar). DeadlineN “The 2026 winners are director-producer-cinematographer Rich Felgate (We, The Hated); director-writer Olive Nwosu (Lady); director-co-writer-composer Imran Perretta (Ish); and director-writer Rachel Taparjan (Something Familiar).” Read at Deadline ↗ Mixed · 2Each winner receives £20,000 (about $26,520), which the Hollywood Reporter says is meant to let them expand their work and explore new ideas. The Hollywood ReporterLC “Each of the four award winners will receive financial support of £20,000 ($26,520)” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ DeadlineN “The award comes with a £20,000 prize” Read at Deadline ↗
Mixed · 2Actors Jessie Buckley and Gwendoline Christie joined this year's jury and announced the winners. The other jurors were Edward Enninful, co-founder and chief creative officer of EE72 and former editor-in-chief of British Vogue, Marie-Louise Khondji, founder of Le Cinéma Club, and BFI CEO Ben Roberts. The Hollywood ReporterLC “The actresses served on this year’s jury alongside existing members Edward Enninful, ex-editor-in-chief of British Vogue and co-founder of EE72” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ DeadlineN “Jessie Buckley and Gwendoline Christie joined this year’s jury and announced the winners.” Read at Deadline ↗ Left · 1According to the Hollywood Reporter, each juror invited one winner on stage to discuss their film and creative process. The films include We, the Hated, about the climate activist group Just Stop Oil, and Ish, a drama about childhood friends torn apart by racial profiling and a police stop-and-search. The Hollywood ReporterLC “each jury member inviting one winner up on stage to ask them about their films and creative process”“Perretta’s Ish is a drama about two childhood best friends torn apart by racial profiling and a traumatic police stop-and-search” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ Left · 1Nwosu's Lady is a narrative piece about an independent female cab driver in Lagos, while Taparjan stars in her own documentary about helping to find the birth mother of a woman adopted from the same Romanian orphanage. The Hollywood ReporterLC “Nwosu’s Lady is a narrative piece about a fiercely independent female cab driver in Lagos, Nigeria” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗
Left · 1Buckley said the jury had seen "such a feast of very original, inspiring, and radical work" and that UK independent filmmaking's future is bright if filmmakers like the winners continue to be supported. The Hollywood ReporterLC ““The future of U.K. independent filmmaking is bright indeed if we continue to support and champion filmmakers such as Rich, Olive, Imran, and Rachel.”” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ Centre · 1Ben Roberts said in a statement that the BFI was "thrilled to continue our partnership with Chanel", and that the winners had made "startling and moving films" and he hoped the award would give them space to take risks. DeadlineN ““We are thrilled to continue our partnership with Chanel and present these unique awards to some of the UK’s brightest filmmakers,”” Read at Deadline ↗ Mixed · 2Chanel has partnered with the BFI on the awards since 2022. Past winners include Kathryn Ferguson (2022), Savannah Leaf (2023), Pinny Grylls (2024) and Harry Lighton (2025, Pillion). DeadlineN “Savannah Leaf won in 2023 with Earth Mama and went on to win the 2024 BAFTA for Best Debut British Writer.” Read at Deadline ↗ The Hollywood ReporterLC “Since 2022, Chanel has partnered with the BFI to hold the Filmmaker Awards.” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗
Left · 1The Hollywood Reporter also listed attendees including Sebastian Croft, Douglas Booth and Bel Powley, Patrick Gibson and Jay Lycurgo. The Hollywood ReporterLC “Among the other stars spotted by The Hollywood Reporter in attendance at Wednesday’s ceremony were Sebastian Croft” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- Red-carpet-style event report led by Buckley and Christie, with colour on the ceremony and the winners' films.
- Emphasis
- Celebrity jurors, atmosphere, film synopses, attendees.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not quote the BFI's statement or list earlier winners beyond Lighton.
- Charged language
- “opulent”“Buoyant”
- For example
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“handed out this year’s BFI & Chanel Filmmaker Awards during an opulent ceremony at London’s Claridge’s Hotel” — The Hollywood Reporter
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Awards announcement led by the winners, with the jury, prize and past winners' careers.
- Emphasis
- Winners, past winners' success, BFI CEO's statement.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Gives little on the ceremony atmosphere or the winners' film plots, and doesn't list attendees.
- For example
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“The BFI has announced the winners of its fifth annual Filmmaker Awards” — Deadline
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- The BFI and Chanel presented the fifth Filmmaker Awards at Claridge's in London.
- Winners are Rich Felgate, Olive Nwosu, Imran Perretta and Rachel Taparjan.
- Each winner receives £20,000.
- Jessie Buckley and Gwendoline Christie were on the jury.
British Film Institute organisation
The BFI says it is thrilled to continue the Chanel partnership and hopes the award gives winners freedom to take risks.
“we hope this award offers them the space and freedom to continue to take risks and be audacious in the next steps of their careers.” — Deadline
Jessie Buckley person
Buckley praised the winners' work as original and radical and said UK independent film's future is bright.
““such a feast of very original, inspiring, and radical work.”” — The Hollywood Reporter
Gwendoline Christie person
Christie, with Buckley, praised the films' "bold, visual sensibility" and sense of responsibility to their communities.
“lauding the creatives’ “bold, visual sensibility” and “unshakable sense of responsibility to the communities” represented in the works.” — The Hollywood Reporter
Imran Perretta person
Perretta is a winner for Ish, which he directed and co-wrote.
“director-co-writer-composer Imran Perretta (Ish)” — Deadline
Left1 article
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Jessie Buckley and Gwendoline Christie Headline a Buoyant BFI & Chanel Filmmakers Awards
Celebratory Glamorous event coverage centred on star jurors and the ceremony's atmosphere.
Centre1 article
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BFI & Chanel Filmmaker Award: ‘Ish’ Director Imran Perretta Among 2026 Winners
Neutral Straightforward winners announcement with jury details and the awards' track record.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 14 Oct 16:41 First The Hollywood ReporterLC Jessie Buckley and Gwendoline Christie Headline a Buoyant BFI & Chanel Filmmakers Awards
- 15 Oct 14:04 +21h 23m DeadlineN BFI & Chanel Filmmaker Award: ‘Ish’ Director Imran Perretta Among 2026 Winners
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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