The AHRC Research in Film Awards (RIFA)

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Type: Award & Prize

Location: UK, Worldwide

Submission date passed

The Research in Film Awards celebrates the best in academic filmmaking. Since 2015, it has inspired researchers across the UK to think more deeply about how they share their work with the wider world. Previous RIFA winners have gone on to win BAFTAs and other awards, been screened at film festivals, or gone on to secure funding and further achievements. Now in its seventh year, RIFA continues to bring cutting-edge arts and humanities research to a public audience through the medium of film.

You can enter your research film in up to five categories:

  • The Best Research Film of the Year
    This category celebrates films that bring new and excellent research to wider attention and that highlight the value and importance of the arts and humanities.
  • The Best Doctoral or Early Career Film of the Year
    This category is for films produced as an output or by-product of doctoral or early career research in the arts and humanities. They showcase new or important ideas, questions and subjects in the field.
  • The Best Climate Emergency Film of the Year (public category)
    This category is our ‘special’ category and for a second year running will focus on the Climate Emergency as the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) will be hosted in Glasgow in November 2021. Films in this category will demonstrate the relevance of the arts and humanities in responding to the climate emergency.
  • The Best Animated Film of the Year
    This category recognises films that use animation to creatively tell stories and explore ideas in arts and humanities research, demonstrating excellent technical ability.
  • The Inspiration Award (public category)
    This category recognises films which have been inspired by the arts and humanities. This could be as a result of attending an arts festival, visiting a museum exhibition, or through books, plays or performances which have helped to fire the imagination.

You can read more about each of the categories in the call guidance (via the direct link). Judged by a panel of industry experts and leading academics, the five winners will be announced at a special awards ceremony in London on 1 December 2021. Winners will receive a prestigious trophy and a £5,000 prize.