BEFFTA HONOURS UK BLACK AND ETHNIC MINORITY TALENTS AND ACHIEVERS

The 7th edition of the annual BEFFTA UK Awards took place in London at the end of October 2015.

The Black Entertainment Film Television & Arts Awards were founded by broadcaster and philanthropist Pauline Long in 2009 in the city of London UK. According to Ms Long she came up with the idea of the BEFFTAs to give back to the society by honoring and celebrating unsung heroes and talented achievers within the Black ,Asian and Ethnic minorities communities often overlooked or even ignored by the mainstream UK establishment.

Declaring the event open, one of the top most influential Nigerians in the UK Dr Dayo Olomu congratulated all nominees for their can do attitude which has led to them being recognised by an organisation such as BEFFTA. He urged them and the entire ethnic minorities community to continue to seek power by applying their acquired knowledge in their daily lives and to be actively in public policy making activities and processes.

Guest speaker at the occasion was the former Chairman of the Central Associations of Nigerians in the UK (CANUK) Chief Bimbo Roberts-Folayan, a past BEFFTA Award Recipient who called on all Blacks, Asians and Ethnic minorities to work together, collaborate more and support our individual and collective aspirations and to also work with the mainstream. “Together”, he added, “we will make the United Kingdom (perhaps the world’s most ethnically diverse country), the best place for us all to live”

Among several UK-Nigerians and Africans honoured at the star studded event include

NollywoodUK Actresses Helen Osabutey Best Actress

Kwame Korateng (Ghana) Best Fashion Designer

Charles Venn (Nigeria) Best TV Actor

Ken Smart (Nigeria) Best Actor

Tolu Yesufu (Nigeria) Best Scriptwriter

Ellen Thomas (Sierra Leone) Best TV Actress

Josh Daniels (Nigeria) Best Photographer

24 year old Stella Olomu bagged the Youth Leadership Award

Philanthropist and Human Rights Activist Justina Mutale was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award for outstanding work in the global community and Nurses and NHS Workers rights activist Dr Abbey Akinoshun was Awarded as Man of the Year .

Royal Drummer Ayan De First was awarded for Cultural Heritage Promotion while Top Black UK Lawyer Ronke Alli-Udofia and Community Leader June Douglas both received Leadership Awards.

Also honoured was 80s music icon Maxi Priest who was presented an Entertainment Icon Award.

International footballer Didier Drogba was honoured with a Lifetime Humanitarian Award

The Blogger of the Year Award came to Baronessj.com.

Story by Jummy Ariyo

Pictures by Riyike Alayande & Josh Daniels

i think you do PaulineLong a great dis-service , we also won : the best shorts category,the first Lesbian film to be included in BEFFTA and to win. It shows that Pauline Long is a true Nollywood queen and cares for all of the black community and does not discriminate even of things that she may notunderstand and or be part of. God Bless you Pauline the Nigerian LGBTI infactt he African LGBTI value you and respect you even if the black press want to down play your bold steps. here is my statement. thank you BJ

The Producers of Magda’s Lesbian Lover MLL would like to announce that we were honoured with the BEST SHORTS award at this years BEFFTA awards in London.

The Black Entertainment Fashion Film and T.v Awards founded by Pauline Long ( Pauline Long show on Ben Television ) made strides for the AFRICAN LGBTI community by including the shorts in the awards in the first instance , she became a patron when we won., representing ALL of the black community and not excluding anyone.

Magda’s Lesbian lover which stars Sabrina Chiemeka ( British Nigerian ) and Selma Glassell ( British Swedish) is a short film about racism and homophobia. The film has shown at several festivals including Miami Gay and Lesbian film Festival, Davis University feminist film Festival, Braunschweig inGermany,Wotever in London and Frederick Pride ( Maryland) as well as being part of the London Pride Arts festival 2014, 2015.

Winning the Best shorts is a great honour and encouragement to the LGBTI Film maker.

ENDS
Elizabeth Obisanya
Writer & Producer
Magda’s Lesbian Lover
BEST SHORT winner BEFFTA 2015

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Elizabeth Funke Obisanya says:

November 2, 2015 at 23:01

i think you do PaulineLong a great dis-service , we also won : the best shorts category,the first Lesbian film to be included in BEFFTA and to win. It shows that Pauline Long is a true Nollywood queen and cares for all of the black community and does not discriminate even of things that she may notunderstand and or be part of. God Bless you Pauline the Nigerian LGBTI infactt he African LGBTI value you and respect you even if the black press want to down play your bold steps. here is my statement. thank you BJ

The Producers of Magda’s Lesbian Lover MLL would like to announce that we were honoured with the BEST SHORTS award at this years BEFFTA awards in London.

The Black Entertainment Fashion Film and T.v Awards founded by Pauline Long ( Pauline Long show on Ben Television ) made strides for the AFRICAN LGBTI community by including the shorts in the awards in the first instance , she became a patron when we won., representing ALL of the black community and not excluding anyone.

Magda’s Lesbian lover which stars Sabrina Chiemeka ( British Nigerian ) and Selma Glassell ( British Swedish) is a short film about racism and homophobia. The film has shown at several festivals including Miami Gay and Lesbian film Festival, Davis University feminist film Festival, Braunschweig inGermany,Wotever in London and Frederick Pride ( Maryland) as well as being part of the London Pride Arts festival 2014, 2015.

Winning the Best shorts is a great honour and encouragement to the LGBTI Film maker.

ENDS
Elizabeth Obisanya
Writer & Producer
Magda’s Lesbian Lover
BEST SHORT winner BEFFTA 2015

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