MetFilm School Director, Jonny Persey, who lives in Finchley has been awarded 'Outstanding Contribution to the Development of Young Talent' by the Odeon National Youth Film Awards.

In his acceptance speech, Jonny shared: 'It is MetFilm's 20th birthday in 2023. This is for us, for all the films we've made, the opportunities we've created, the careers we've empowered. Thank you for the recognition.'

Jonny spoke of the spirit of adventure in filmmaking, drawing a parallel between navigating a career in film with dance, he said:

"I am so privileged to have been able to spend 25 years in this remarkable industry, and to reap such joy from the successes of our graduates.

"This week in Odeon cinemas, we've been proud to see films from our graduates, Rina Yang, as Director of Photography for Nanny, and Leopold Hughes, as Co-Producer of Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, whose careers exemplify that dance. So, in celebration of adventure and dance, thank you!'

Established to honour 'the best young talent in the film industry', the Odeon National Youth Film Awards took place at the 800-seater Odeon Luxe Theatre in Leicester Square, sponsored by MPB. For young filmmakers and actors aged 16-29, awards were given out across categories including Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Producer, Outstanding Potential, and more.

The judging panel included Edgar Wright, Simon Bird, Yero Timi-Biu, and Anuree De Silva. Awards were also presented by a star-studded list of guests, ranging from actors such as Phoebe Dynevor (Bridgerton) and Yasmin Al-Khudhairi (Ackley Bridge), to editor Saun Barton (Star Wars), cinematographer Phil Meheux (Casino Royale), and more.

Alongside Jonny, a number of MetFilm School's students and graduates had cause to celebrate during the event:

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·      Emiliano Lopez – 'Best Editor' for his work on Masters Project, Take Your Mark

·      Djamel Turner – 'Best Film' nomination for Behind the Eyes

·      Tequila Dreams, a BA Practical Filmmaking project written and directed by Peter Lavery, produced by Joe Andrews – 'Best Actor' nomination and 'Best Cinematography' nomination for Chantal Richardson