How to get Nominated for a BAFTA

Our short film was nominated for a BAFTA.

In the UK, that’s the highest honour in film and television, roughly equivalent to an Oscar. And yet our film was shot in a bedroom, on the streets of Glasgow, by a tiny team with no money, no celebrities, and no industry connections.

This article breaks down exactly how it happened, step by step, as a practical guide for filmmakers who assume awards like BAFTA are out of reach. They aren’t.

A showcase of our BAFTA experience including professional photos, BAFTA chocolates, my editor pin badge and the show notes. IMAGE: Cinora

Who We Were (and Why That Matters)

This wasn’t a studio-backed production.There was no famous cast.No producer with influence.No insider advantage.

The director, Gavin Reed, was a Master’s student at the time. Some of us were early-career filmmakers, some still studying, some never having worked full-time in the industry. I (Ash) edited My Dad and the Volcano in my bedroom edit suite.

We were, and still are, a working-class team.

The film itself is a short documentary about Gavin, five years after graduating art school, confronting regret, failure, and a six-foot volcano sculpture that never made it out of his dad’s shed. At its core, it’s about class, stalled ambition, and trying to rebuild a sense of direction.

That honesty mattered more than polish.

Step One: Film Festivals (and Rejection)

If you want a BAFTA short film nomination, festivals are non-negotiable. The process is slow, expensive, and demoralising. Gavin was rejected from dozens of festivals, including ones that seemed like a perfect fit.

Then Edinburgh International Film Festival accepted the film, and that first “yes” changed everything.

Once the film had a premiere, other festivals followed. Screenings ranged from small, intimate rooms to packed international audiences. In the US especially, the response was overwhelming, with people staying after screenings to share personal stories. Audiences recognised themselves in the film.

That’s the real currency of festivals: proof of connection.

BAFTA Qualification (Important)

To qualify for BAFTA as a short film, you need:

• 1 Tier A festival, or

• 2 Tier B festivals

• 
  

You can filter BAFTA-qualifying festivals directly on FilmFreeway and target them intentionally. Even if your first acceptance isn’t a qualifier, it signals credibility — and that signal helps everything else snowball.

Step Two: You Are the Marketing Campaign

There was no PR team for My Dad and the Volcano, Gavin was the marketing.

The poster, trailer, and updates live on his personal social accounts. That worked because he was both the subject and the director. He’s a recognisable creative voice attached to the work.

Gavin attended screenings. He did Q&As. He spoke to audiences. Festivals care deeply about that, and audiences do too.

When international travel became expensive, Gavin applied for funding through Screen Scotland, and I hear that other countries have similar arts or screen funding bodies. But if this isn’t available to you, crowdfunding and community sponsorships are also viable options.

Presence matters more than polish.

Gavin at Healdsburg INT Short Film Festival USA. IMAGE: Gavin Reid

Why the Film Traveled Internationally

Director Gavin Reid told Cinora, that at one US festival, subtitles were added. Not because the film wasn’t in English, but because accents, pacing, and documentary audio can alienate audiences.

That moment highlighted something crucial: Films that get nominated for awards tend to cross borders.

They can be culturally specific, but thematically universal. This film worked internationally because it dealt with failure, regret, class, and trying to build a better life. After screenings, people kept saying the same thing:

“I have a volcano in my life too.”

That universality is what carries a film further than budget ever could.

Submitting to BAFTA

Because BAFTA is a British award, you must show the film was made in the UK or by a British crew.

Beyond festival qualification, BAFTA asks for a short profile about you and the project. It’s not about prestige — it’s about context. Turning a title into a human story.

Finding Out About the BAFTA Nomination

The surprising thing is, BAFTA doesn’t warn you. They announce nominations publicly and you find out at the same time as everyone else.

Gavin discovered the nomination after a long flight back from the US, jet-lagged, opening his phone to dozens of messages and an official BAFTA tag on instagram.

There were about six weeks between nomination and ceremony.

The Ceremony

At the ceremony we felt like the most important people in the room, even though the room was filled with important people. Not to mention, Ewan McGregor, James McAvoy, David Tennant, Alan Cummings and more famous faces.

When our award category was announced, they showed a clip from each nominated film, and ours had the biggest laugh. Nothing is as satisfying as hearing a room full of filmmakers laugh at your charming documentary.

However, it didn’t win. The award went to Paternal Advice.

And yet, none of us felt like we’d lost.

Being nominated changed how the work, and we, were perceived. It opened doors. It validated years of quiet persistence.

Most importantly, it proved something vital: BAFTA is not only for people with money, power, or connections.

The Volcano Team with Director Gavin Reid in the white Tux. IMAGE: BAFTA

What This Means for Filmmakers

A zero-budget student documentary, shot in a bedroom, made by a working-class team, can be nominated for a BAFTA.

That doesn’t mean it’s easy.But it is possible.

And once you know the path: festivals, qualification, presence, patience, it becomes navigable.

I’m currently crowdfunding my next film, Thrawn, about Scottish identity and belonging. This film means a lot to me personally, and I can see this nomination come around again.

Because the door is open wider than we’re told.

You can watch our interview with Director Gavin Reid on our youtube channel.