The esteemed HollyShorts Film Festival, one of the globe's most celebrated showcases for short cinema, is making its grand debut in London. Marking the 20th anniversary of the Los Angeles-based event, HollyShorts will unfold its inaugural London edition, with an exclusive revelation by The Hollywood Reporter: it will honor an array of Oscar-winning and Oscar-nominated British and Irish short filmmakers with the prestigious HollyShorts Honoree Awards.
Among the recipients of the HollyShorts Honoree Award are Tom Berkeley and Ross White, whose 2023 Oscar-winning short film "An Irish Goodbye" left audiences in awe; Chris Overton, who garnered an Oscar in 2018 for "The Silent Child"; Misan Harriman, nominated this year for an Academy Award for "The After"; and Jamie Donoughue, who received a nomination in 2016 for "Shok." The festival will also present a special Trailblazer Award to actor James Martin, whose pivotal role in "An Irish Goodbye" made him the first star with Down Syndrome to triumph at the Academy Awards. Earlier this year, Martin was honored with the MBE — Member of the Order of the British Empire — in the King’s New Year’s Honours List, recognizing his significant contributions to drama.
Last year, HollyShorts Film Festival secured its fourth Oscar-qualifying award for documentary shorts, and for the first time, it has been accredited by BAFTA, paving the way for selected HollyShorts films to be eligible for BAFTA awards submissions. Notably, several HollyShorts winners have ascended to win the top prizes in the shorts categories at the Academy Awards, such as Riz Ahmed's "The Long Goodbye" and Guy Nattiv's "Skin."
These Honoree Awards and the Trailblazer Award will be glamorously presented in person at HollyShorts London’s opening-night reception on December 6, marking the commencement of the full London edition, which will run from December 6 to 8. Sponsors of HollyShorts London include Cotrini Skin, Kodak, Panavision, JeanBookNerd, Miller Insurance, Company 3, Alta Global Media, 88th Street Productions, Shotdeck, IMGN, and Kevork Law, ensuring a star-studded and memorable event.
