Alumni and academic staff among the category winners
Creative talent developed at Edinburgh Napier was recognised across several categories at the BAFTA Scotland Awards 2021.
Marli Siu, who graduated in Acting & English six years ago, won Best Actress Film for her performance in Run.
And feature film Limbo, featuring the talents of alumni director/writer and producer duo Ben Sharrock and Irune Gurtubai, both 2014 Film graduates, scooped a total of four awards - Actor Film, Writer Film/Television, Director Fiction and Feature Film.
Meanwhile, School of Computing lecturer Dr Tom Methven spearheaded the team which won the Game award for SOLAS 128, an engrossing laser-bouncing beat-driven game, said by one reviewer to take the puzzle game format to “a whole other cosmic order”.
The Awards celebrated the very best in film, games and television produced over the last year in Scotland. All of the winners were announced at a special closed show ceremony last weekend, hosted by Edith Bowman.
Marli Siu, who also starred in Our Ladies, an adaptation of Alan Warner’s novel The Sopranos, plays the role of Kelly - a pregnant teenager considering her future - in Run. The action unfolds in a Highland town, where young men dream of escapism through late-night car races.
Limbo tells the story of refugees waiting on a fictional Scottish Island to be granted asylum. The plot focuses on Omar, a young Syrian musician who is burdened by the weight of his grandfather's oud, a traditional stringed instrument, which he has carried all the way from his homeland.
The film saw Ben Sharrock personally named Best Director Fiction and Writer Film/Television, and its Best Feature Film success saw him appear again on the BAFTA roll of honour with Irune Gurtubai and Angus Lamont.
Jude MacLaverty, Director of BAFTA Scotland, said: “This year has remained an incredibly challenging one for many, and so we are delighted to have been able to recognise the achievements of the film, games and television industries that have continued to keep us informed and entertained during this time.
“We were also thrilled to be able to welcome back a live, specially invited audience of nominees – albeit a smaller one than usual - and we would like to thank our incredible hosts, guest presenters and wonderful partners for helping us deliver such a brilliant show.
“It really has been absolutely fantastic to celebrate the inspiring work that’s being produced in Scotland over the past year.”
Away from the BAFTAs, the Acting & English programme has another notable student success to celebrate at the moment. 2018 graduate Alan Scott currently features as Patrick in Eternals, an American superhero film produced by Marvel Studios, starring an ensemble cast including Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, Kit Harington and Angelina Jolie.