2020
Next generation of film makers receive Puttnam Scholarships
Eight UCC students will get the opportunity to be mentored by Oscar-winning film producer Lord David Puttnam, after each being awarded a prestigious scholarship.
The Puttnam Scholarship programme at UCC supports the next generation of film-makers and creatives, offering students from any discipline the opportunity to work with and learn from the legendary producer of films including Chariots of Fire and Midnight Express.
A digital education pioneer, Lord David Puttnam launched the scholarship in collaboration with UCC’s College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences back in 2018.
This year’s Puttnam Scholars come from a diverse range of academic backgrounds including Neuroscience, Youth & Community Work, Medicine, Creative Writing, Digital Humanities and Film & Screen Media.
Congratulations to this year’s Puttnam Scholars:
- Geraldine Boyle, MA Film and Screen Media.
- Colette Forde, Youth and Community Work
- Mahito Indi Henderson, MA Creative Writing
- Harry McCann, Digital Humanities & Information Technology
- Abnoos Mosleh-Shirazi, Medicine
- Máire Murphy, Film and Screen Media
- Ramish Qayyum, Neuroscience
- Célem Roche Deegan, Film & Screen Media
Lord Puttnam has described his involvement in the scholarship programme as “one of the most satisfying things I’ve done in my life”.
“Being able to work with a small group of genuinely committed young people from a variety of disciplines offers an incredible opportunity to extend the breadth of my own experience, by plugging into the world as they see it, whilst adding value to the opportunities they regard as being within their grasp,” he said.
Dr Ciara Chambers, Head of UCC’s Department of Film and Screen Media, added: “The Puttnam Scholarship offers an exciting form of industry mentorship for UCC students from a broad range of disciplines.
"The successful recipients benefit from Lord Puttnam's pioneering creativity and his vast experience in producing canonical films, advancing digital education, and policymaking on core issues like sustainability and democracy in the digital era."
The latest announcement comes as the 2019-2020 Puttnam Scholars saw their own work, a short documentary on the Irish identity, screened online at the Cork International Film Festival.
Introducing the film, Romantic Ireland’s Dead and Gone, Lord Puttnam described its relevance for modern audiences: "I think the Scholars have done magnificently well and we have addressed something of enormous importance. I'm very proud of the group of people I've worked with for a year."
Festival Director and CEO, Fiona Clark, commented: "I'm really thrilled that we have the opportunity to showcase this work during the festival. This project sums up the very rich and diverse relationship that Cork International Film Festival has with UCC."
Find out more about this year’s scholars through this link.