Self-taught director wins competition named after screen star Connery

A film by a self-taught director has won an inaugural filmmaking prize named after the late Sir Sean Connery.

The Sean Connery Prize for Feature Filmmaking Excellence went to The Ceremony, directed by Jack King.

The Sean Connery Foundation joined with the Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) to establish the Sean Connery Prize for Feature Filmmaking Excellence, with 10 films in the running for the prize.

EIFF also announced the winner of its new prize for short filmmaking, the Thelma Schoonmaker Prize for Short Filmmaking Excellence Competition, which went to Manny Wolfe, directed by Trevor Neuhoff.

The awards were presented by Jason Connery, son of the late star, on behalf of The Connery Foundation, and by film editor Thelma Schoonmaker at a ceremony at the Cameo Cinema in Edinburgh on Wednesday.

EIFF director Paul Ridd said: “We are so pleased to be presenting these inaugural awards for excellence in filmmaking to two incredibly exciting films and filmmaking teams.

“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.”

Described as a “humane and moving” film, The Ceremony tells the story of two migrant workers forced to bury a colleague in the Yorkshire hills.

When one demands to perform the dead man’s rightful Islamic burial, the film explores the fraying nerves and power struggle that ensue.

The winner of the £50,000 prize was decided on by an audience vote.

King is a self-taught writer/director and filmmaker, from Bradford in West Yorkshire, who started out making music videos for independent and major record labels and has since made several short films.

The short film competition winner was also decided on by an audience vote and is awarded £15,000 to support their future projects.

Manny Wolfe tells the story of an actor who is also a werewolf and is trying to catch a break in 1940s Hollywood.

Neuhoff is a director, writer, producer and occasional actor who spent almost a decade working for Robert Downey Jr and Susan Downey.

He has also made music videos, short documentaries and short narrative films that can be found on the internet, and he lives in Los Angeles, California.