ALCS is proud to co-sponsor this competition which rewards up-and-coming filmmakers from across the country while also highlighting the importance of intellectual property to creators and MPs alike. Film the House is also sponsored by Directors UK, Lionsgate, the Motion Picture Association, Sky, ViacomCBS, The Walt Disney Company and Warner Bros Entertainment Inc.

This year, films were shared with MPs across a range of categories including Best Script and Best Short Film, with prizes for filmmakers aged both under and over 16. This year also saw the addition of the Directors UK award for Best Film Direction, also with under and over 16 categories. An expert industry panel of leading figures from across Britain’s creative landscape chose the finalists.

The shortlists for this year’s competition are:

Best Script Under 16

Luke Allen Haughton – Unstable

Freya Hannan-Mills – Swallow

Best Script 16 and Over

Luke Andrews – The Confession

Dan Clifton – Trigger Point

Ella Greenwood – Faulty Roots

Lewis MacKinnon – Men in Skirts

Bertil Nilsson – Repair

Directors UK Best Film Direction Under 16

Luke Allen Haughton – Unstable

Morgan O’Connell – Haven

Directors UK Best Film Direction 16 and Over

Julien Cornwall – The Lost Scot

Souvid Datta – Gladiators on Wheels

Matteo Palmas – Man on Bike

Nicole Pott – Kaleidoscope

Best Short Film Under 16

Freya Hannan-Mills – Swallow

Morgan O’Connell – Haven

Best Short Film 16 and Over

Souvid Datta – Gladiators on Wheels

Tim Goodill – Blood Steel

Lanre Malaolu – The Circle

Ethan McDowell – lúbtha

All shortlisted entrants will be invited to the Film the House Winners’ Ceremony at the House of Commons on 3 March 2020. Helen Lederer, writer, comedian and actor, will compère the proceedings.

Rt Hon John Whittingdale OBE MP, Film the House sponsor and Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Writers Group, said: “I am delighted to sponsor the Film the House 2019 competition, which recognises British scriptwriters and filmmakers who are the creative talent of the future. As this event proves, writers are a key component of the creative industries and it is essential that they are properly rewarded. The creative industries, which contribute so much to the UK, depend upon protection of intellectual property rights and I hope that these awards will help get the message across.”

Paul Powell, comedy writer and 2018 Film the House judge, said: “The creative industries in the UK are booming right now, with bumper growth in Britain’s film, TV, music and digital industries. According to the DCMS, the creative industries are worth £101.5 billion to the UK economy. We need to protect that contribution by supporting new talent, guaranteeing fair remuneration, recognising the importance of Intellectual Property and ring-fencing copyright. From writers and directors through to musicians and games developers, creators are at the heart of the British economy.”