BAFTA reveals 15 finalists for student awards

• Four institutions received their first-ever BAFTA Student Awards finalist nominations.
• Women make up 21 of the 31 students listed.
• BAFTA will host finalists in Los Angeles for Experience Week from July 13th to 16th.

BAFTA has revealed the 15 finalists for the 2026 BAFTA Student Awards with e.l.f. Cosmetics, recognising emerging talent across film, games and immersive storytelling.

Selected from submissions spanning more than 600 universities worldwide, the finalists represent seven countries and include first-time representation from multiple universities.

The awards form part of BAFTA North America’s Learning, Inclusion and Talent programme aiming to celebrate the next generation of creative talent. Of 31 listed students, 21 are women.

Ahead of the awards ceremony, BAFTA will host its Experience Week in Los Angeles from July 13th to 16th, bringing finalists together for studio visits, workshops and networking opportunities. 

The programme will also feature the inaugural BAFTA Games Summit at e.l.f.'s Los Angeles office on July 15th, focused on careers in games, storytelling, community building and audience engagement.

The partnership will culminate in the first livestream of the BAFTA Student Awards ceremony on July 17th via the elfyou Twitch channel. e.l.f. will also provide a $15,000 grant to support an emerging female or non-binary game developer.

Games finalists revealed

BAFTA has revealed the finalists in its various categories, including games, where three projects will compete for the award. These are:

• Candellum by Eva Martinello and Mattéo Gomez, at Isart Digital, France.

• Kiloton by Jack Morehart, at New York University, United States.

• The Wind and the Wisp by Sammy Chuang, at University of Southern California, United States.

Finalists in other categories include:

Animation:

• Gauze
• Susurros
• The day I licked a pebble

Documentary:

• 66 Days
• Strangers on Our Land
• Talk Straight, Duda

Live Action:

• Children of yesterday
• Rage
• Whispers of the Waves

Immersive:

• Lichtung
• Room
• Sonderambla

Industry reflection

“The BAFTA Student Awards are a launchpad for the next generation of creative talent, bringing students from around the world to Los Angeles for unparalleled access to industry leaders, peers, and career-building opportunities," said BAFTA North America executive director Courtney LaBarge Bell. 

“We’re delighted that, as headline partner, e.l.f. is both supporting female and non-binary game developers through a dedicated grant and helping expand Experience Week with the inaugural BAFTA Games Summit.”

e.l.f. Brands chief integrated marketing officer Patrick O’Keefe commented: “At e.l.f., we believe talent is everywhere, but opportunity isn’t. That’s why we’re partnering with BAFTA to honour and celebrate the future of film, games and immersive storytelling. 

“What will start as a celebration will evolve into building a pathway through accessibility, connectivity and exposure. When we invest in the next generation, especially women in film and gaming who have been historically underrepresented, we make the entire industry better. That’s the work, and we’re all in.”

The Aurora - Barcelona Edition recently celebrated five women in the games industry at Pocket Gamer Connects Barcelona.