Summary
- The British Society of Cinematographers has announced nine nominations for the 2026 Short Film Competition.
- The nominees are split across BSC Club, Postgraduate Student and Undergraduate Student categories.
- More than 110 films were submitted and over 65 BSC members took part in judging.
- The winners will be announced in London on 26 October 2026.
The British Society of Cinematographers has announced the nominations for the 2026 BSC Short Film Competition, with nine cinematographers shortlisted across three short-film categories.
According to Cinematography World, more than 110 films were submitted from across the United Kingdom, while more than 65 BSC members took part in judging the entries and deciding the nominees and winners.
The competition is divided into BSC Club, Postgraduate Student and Undergraduate Student categories, following the structure officially announced by the BSC when entries opened in August.
BSC Club nominations
The nominees for Cinematography in a Short Film (BSC Club) are:
- Darius Shu for “Molly”.
- Jaime Ackroyd for “Magid & Zafar”.
- Jonathon Le Grice for “Siobhan”.
This is the first nomination in the competition for Darius Shu and Jaime Ackroyd. Jonathon Le Grice was also nominated in 2025 for “Watch Me Burn”.
Postgraduate nominees
The Cinematography in a Short Film (Postgraduate Student) category includes three cinematographers from two UK film schools:
- Hayley Grant for “Pickled” — National Film and Television School (NFTS).
- Vaibhav Sanghavi for “Shuck” — London Film School (LFS).
- Swarnim Gawade for “Sugar Apples in Monsoon” — London Film School (LFS).
Undergraduate nominations
The Cinematography in a Short Film (Undergraduate Student) nominees are:
- Arnav Sharma for “The Ambrose Finch” — Bournemouth Film School.
- Joe Nicholls for “Culling” — Manchester Metropolitan University.
- Benjamin Elliott for “Isn’t She Lovely” — Leeds Beckett University / The Northern Film School.
When the winners will be announced
The nominees will be invited to the BSC Short Film Evening in London on 26 October 2026, where the films will be screened and the winners announced at the end of the evening.
The winners will receive support from the competition’s patrons: an ARRI Omnibar, a five-day camera rental package from ARRI Rental and eight hours of post-production from The Look for their next film. The winning cinematographers will also be invited to receive their trophies at the 71st BSC Awards in London in February 2027.
What we think
This shortlist is notable because it puts the focus directly on cinematography rather than only on the overall profile of the films. The separate student categories also give emerging cinematographers a dedicated space to present their work alongside BSC Club members.
Frequently asked questions
How many films were submitted to the 2026 BSC Short Film Competition?
According to Cinematography World, more than 110 films were entered from across the United Kingdom.
How many categories are there?
There are three categories: BSC Club, Postgraduate Student and Undergraduate Student.
When will the winners be announced?
The winners will be announced at the BSC Short Film Evening in London on 26 October 2026.
Who supports the competition?
ARRI, ARRI Rental and The Look support the competition and provide prizes for the winners.
