‘My Father’s Shadow’ Director Akinola Davies Jr. Among 2025 BAFTA Breakthroughs

The British Academy has unveiled the 2025 cohort for BAFTA Breakthrough U.K., featuring 20 creatives-to-watch in the film, TV and games. Among the crop of names to make the list this year are Akinola Davies Jr., who turned heads in Cannes with his directorial debut “My Father’s Shadow.” The film went on to get a special mention from the Un Certain Regard jury, was selected to represent the U.K. at the Oscars and leads the pack of nominees going into this weekend’s British Independent Film Awards.

Supported by Netflix since 2019, the year-round initiative provides hand-selected creatives from a vast range of disciplines, who are on the cusp or in the midst of a breakthrough moment, with a springboard to the next phase of their careers. Among the offerings are one-to-one meetings and career guidance, full BAFTA awards voting membership, access to BAFTA industry networking events and screenings, both in the UK and internationally. BAFTA North America will announce the Breakthrough U.S. talent in December.

The full list of this year’s BAFTA Breakthrough UK cohort is as follows:

Akinola Davies Jr – director/co-writer (“My Father’s Shadow”)
Alderney Middleton – series producer (“Maddie + Triggs”)
Cara Ellison – writer/ narrative designer (“Ghost Town”)
Ellis Howard – performer (“What It Feels Like for a Girl”)
Jodie-Simone Howe – costume designer (“Mr Loverman”)
Kyle Banks -director (“Farewell North”)
Laura Carreira – director/writer (“On Falling”)
Marie-Elena Dyche – producer (“Harvest”)
Mark Choi – composer (“Empire of the Ants”)
Matthew Gurney – performer (“Reunion”)
Megumi Inman – co-director/producer (“Atomic People”)
Nathalie Pitters – director of photography (“Brian and Maggie”)
Nathaniel Price – writer/associate producer (“Mr Loverman”)
Olaide Sadiq – director (“Grenfell: Uncovered”)
Owen Tooth – director (“EastEnders”)
Pinny Grylls – director/writer/editor (“Grand Theft Hamlet”)
Sally Beaumont – lead voice actor/script consultant (“Old Skies”)
Stanley Baxton – solo developer (“LATEX, LEATHER, LIPSTICK, LOVE, LUST”)
Stephanie Taylor – composer (“The Search For Nicola Bulley”)
Vivian Eguridu – series casting producer (“Love is Blind UK” series 1)

“It is an absolute pleasure to welcome this year’s outstanding participants of BAFTA Breakthrough,” said Jane Millichip, CEO of BAFTA. “For 12 years this BAFTA talent programme has supported creatives and practitioners in film, games and television to navigate the often complex corridors of the screen arts. I am enormously grateful to Netflix for their continued support of BAFTA and for their shared passion and commitment to providing opportunity and career pathways for UK talent from all backgrounds.”

Globally, over 330 people have passed through the programme to date, including screenwriters, actors, games designers, producers, costume designers, directors, director of photography, editors and production designers. Breakthrough U.K. alumni includes the likes of Ambika Mod, Bella Ramsey, Rose Ayling-Ellis, Mawaan Rizwan, Luna Carmoon, Paapa Essiedu, Josh O’Connor, Jessie Buckley, Vivian Oparah and Letitia Wright.