Campbeltown cinema’s Jane nominated for BAFTA
The chairman of Campbeltown Community Business is ‘thrilled’ and ‘staggered’ that she’s in with a chance of winning BAFTA’s second annual For the Love of Film competition.
Jane Mayo, who chairs the community trust which operates Campbeltown Picture House, is one of nine people shortlisted by a special BAFTA jury, having been nominated by the British public for their exceptional contributions to their communities through film.
Nearly 300 applications and testimonials were considered by a panel of industry experts including BAFTA winning director Amma Asante, broadcaster Edith Bowman, four-time BAFTA winning writer/director Paul Greengrass, filmmaker and content creator Jack Howard, and Andrew Orr of BAFTA’s Film Committee.
Jane was chosen as a finalist not only because she led the community to raise more than £6 million to save the historic gem – the the UK’s oldest continually operating cinema – but also because she generated a sustainable programme of self-funding activity to ensure the unique cinematic and architectural treasure will endure, serving the community as well as attracting visitors from all over the globe.
Jane’s citation reads: ‘Inspired by the power film has to motivate, educate, inspire and entertain an entire community, not only in the town itself but the wider Kintyre diaspora, Jane’s passion, commitment and dedication to making this project a reality has seen the community’s “wee picture house” brought back from the brink of dereliction to be once more at the heart of the community.’
Jane said: ‘I’m staggered by this nomination! I’m so pleased that the Picture House should get this national coverage, which is so important to help put both it and Campbeltown on the map.
‘As for myself, of course I’m thrilled, just to be nominated in such an impressive field of other contenders.’
The category’s two winners, to be announced later this month, will be invited to attend the nation’s biggest celebration of film, the EE British Academy Film Awards, on Sunday February 2.