A FILM part-funded by Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) has been nominated for a BAFTA award.

The short film, Middle Watch, has been nominated in the category of British Short Animation for the British Academy Film and Television Awards to take place on February 19 at the Royal Festival Hall.

The film, which is directed by Kung Fu Panda’s John Stevenson, is set in the closing days of the Second World War, where ‘a war-ravaged sailor’s precarious night shift leads to a devastating encounter’.

AUB’s director of Bournemouth Film School, Dr Jonathan Carr, is the executive producer of the film.

He said: “It’s great to see Middle Watch celebrated with a shortlisting at BAFTA 2023. As the film’s recent success highlights, it’s vital that creative institutions like ours continue to back and support original and innovative film ideas, with BFI figures revealing almost £6billion of film and high-end TV production spend in 2021.”

“We’re really excited to see the film – which saw several of our students gain vital work experience on – join BAFTA this year alongside some tough competitors.”

The film is up against The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and the Horse, and Your Mountain is Waiting in the British Short Animation category.