Young filmmaker Benjamin Richards, received the AMI International Future Focus Award for the promise he has shown in film production, at a celebrity packed ceremony at The London Studios on London’s South Bank, on Sunday, November 21st, hosted by multi-award winning actress, Janie Dee.
The AMI’s (Ability Media International Awards), were launched two years ago to identify, celebrate and support, high-level creative work that encourages a more tolerant and inclusive world. They are an initiative from Leonard Cheshire, one of the UK’s leading charities.
Writer and producer Wayne Drew, Chairman of Ability Media, and the founder of the AMI Awards said: “Ben receives his Award for his outstanding creativity, commitment and exceptional promise. It is such young people who are the future of International cinema and I truly hope that he will now have the opportunity to work in mainstream film production. His achievements to date are extraordinary, and his film displays keen insight, flair and originality ”.
Benjamin, started his career in the animation and visual effects industry in Australia. Then moved Singapore, then to London, and from there to Slovakia.
He was presented his award by Hugh Hudson the legendary director of the multi-academy award winning film Chariots of Fire.
On presenting the Award Hugh Hudson said: Benjamin Richards is now working with the ‘Theatre with No Home' group in Bratislava, where all of the actors are either homeless or disabled. In his first film, which is about their work, he’s displayed a keen photographic eye, a passion for story telling and a sensitive and truthful approach to documentary production. To say that he was under pressure to produce it, is an understatement. From start to end the production took only 4 days, However, what he finally produced was truly exceptional”
By winning an AMI Award, Benjamin Richards is in very impressive company indeed as some of this year’s other award winners included: Glyndebourne Opera; The Donmar Warehouse; the author Mark Haddon; TV’s Dr. Who, Matt Smith for his new film ‘Christopher and his Kind’; style guru Gok Wan; Channel Four Television and the BBC.
More pictures here