Jack King’s “The Ceremony” Wins Sean Connery Prize at Edinburgh International Film Festival

Jack King’s feature debut, “The Ceremony”, has won the inaugural £50,000 Sean Connery Prize for Feature Filmmaking Excellence at the revamped Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF), which drew to a close tonight (August 21).

About the Film

“The Ceremony” follows two migrant workers who are forced to bury a colleague in the Yorkshire hills. When one demands to accord the dead man his rightful Islamic burial, nerves begin to fray, and a power struggle emerges.

Cast and Crew

The cast includes Tudor Cucu Dumitrescu, Erdal Yildiz, Liam Thomas, Arnold Bakshi, and Mo’min Swaitat. Producers are Hollie Bryan and Lucy Meer for the UK’s Cosmosquare Films and Strive Films.

Previous Work

King’s previous credits include short “Predators”, which was supported by BFI Network and premiered at BFI London Film Festival in 2023. He also previously participated in EIFF Talent Lab Connects in 2022 with his feature project, “Snowbird”.

Competition

“The Ceremony” was one of 10 feature-length world premieres competing for the Sean Connery prize, which was chosen through an audience vote. Other world premiere titles in contention included ventriloquist and comedian Nina Conti’s debut feature “Sunlight”, Daisy-May Hudson’s narrative feature debut “Lollipop” starring “Screen” Star of Tomorrow Posy Sterling, and Iranian filmmaker Arash Rakhsha’s documentary “All the Mountains Give”, about Kurdish smugglers eking out an existence in the Iran/Iraq borderlands.

Thelma Schoonmaker Prize

The Thelma Schoonmaker Prize for Short Filmmaking Excellence, worth £15,000, was awarded to Trevor Neuhoff’s “Manny Wolfe”.

Quote from EIFF Director

Paul Ridd, EIFF director, said: “These new EIFF awards were set up to support new and emerging filmmakers in their careers. Both these films show immense vision and skill at connecting with audiences and we wish both filmmakers the very best for the future.”

Conclusion

The win marks a significant milestone for King and his team, and we wish them all the best for their future projects.

FAQs

Q: What is the Sean Connery Prize?
A: The Sean Connery Prize is a £50,000 award for Feature Filmmaking Excellence at the Edinburgh International Film Festival.

Q: Who won the Thelma Schoonmaker Prize?
A: Trevor Neuhoff’s “Manny Wolfe” won the Thelma Schoonmaker Prize for Short Filmmaking Excellence.

Q: What is the Edinburgh International Film Festival?
A: The Edinburgh International Film Festival is a leading film festival that takes place annually in Edinburgh, Scotland.