FOCAL Awards on Track for Triumphant Return to Live Event

Following two years of virtual awards ceremonies, the 19th Annual FOCAL Awards will be held live and in-person on June 23, 2022 at the Landmark Hotel in Central London. With just a month to go before the gala event, FOCAL has announced its shortlist of nominees, including some of the highest profile documentaries of the last year, engaged the internationally renowned comedian Sally Philips to host and is on track for strong attendance. It promises to be an extraordinary occasion and excitement has started to build.

“I am very much looking forward to re-connecting with friends, colleagues and peers at the upcoming FOCAL Awards,” said Raelene Rawlings, manager of content services as Sky . “After a couple of years of virtual awards, I’m particularly excited about this year’s event. With a great new venue and fantastic host, it’s set to be a memorable evening and I’d like to extend my thanks for the FOCAL team for all their hard work and dedication.”

"The Focal Awards are a wonderful opportunity for members of our industry to get together and celebrate all things archive,” said Vicky Turner, Director of Sales for EMEA & APA at Nimia. “The past two years have been difficult for everyone, so I personally am really looking forward to seeing clients and colleagues in person with all the networking opportunities that brings."

The Landmark

After two virtual events in 2020 and 2021, and two years before that at the historic Troxy Theater in East London, many felt that the time was right to return to Central London and this year’s venue, The Landmark Hotel, located in the City of Westminster, will help set a celebratory tone for FOCAL’s first post-lockdown awards gala.

“We made the decision to bring the FOCAL Awards back to Central London to welcome UK and International guests, within a prestigious central venue to celebrate and honor with friends and colleagues after a difficult two-year period,” said Mary Egan, FOCAL’s Director of Operation. “The Landmark offers a unique experience for guests at the interior garden terrace overlooked by palm trees, where we will be hosting our pre-cocktail reception sponsored by AP, followed by dinner and the awards show in the spectacular grand ballroom and after party in the marble ballroom.”

Awards Host

Awards host Sally Phillips, the internationally acclaimed comedian, actor, writer and producer, will bring her ebullient comedic sparkle to the evening’s festivities.

“We are delighted to have Sally host the 19th FOCAL Awards this year,” said Mary Egan. “She will bring a fresh look to the gala evening with her infectious style and unique comedy talent.”

Phillips has appeared in some of the most popular and influential comedies of recent years. From the mischievous Travel Tavern receptionist of I’m Alan Partridge to a generally well-meaning friend in Miranda and all three Bridget Jones films. She is also the co-star and co-writer of the sketch show Smack the Pony, and played the Finnish former PM and UN Special Envoy in HBO's award-winning Veep.

Awards Sponsors

“As a not-for-profit association we are exceptionally grateful to all the sponsors, without their support we would not be able to hold the FOCAL Awards,” said Mary Egan. “This year’s sponsors include AP Archive, British Pathe, Footage.net, Fremantle, Getty Images, ITV Archive, LOLA Clips, Piemags, Prasad Corp., and Screenocean.”

Attendance

Currently, FOCAL is expecting up to 350 people to attend the Awards gala, though it’s unclear at this point how continued COVID concerns will affect the breakout of local vs. international attendees. “This is difficult to answer at the moment,” said Mary Egan. “A lot of international attendees are uncertain about travel. We are expecting attendees from USA, Canada, France, Germany, Greece. In the past, the split was 70-30, in local favor.”

COVID Concerns and Safeguards

While restrictions on gatherings have been lifted throughout the UK, COVID remains a top concern and FOCAL is taking active steps to ensure that the Awards gala will be as safe as possible.

“We’re continually monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Mary Egan. “The UK Government has lifted restrictions, however, we have a number of measures in place to ensure everyone's safety while attending the Awards Gala Evening. We will not require proof of vaccination; however, we do require everyone to take a Lateral Flow Test on the day of the FOCAL Awards (June 23, 2022) to show proof of a negative result on their mobile. We have also requested all The Landmark hotel staff serving food and drinks to wear masks.”

Submissions

FOCAL received 152 submissions in the professional categories, the highest number since 2019, with 39% were from UK, 33% from the USA, 23% from Europe and 5% from the rest of the world. In addition, 81 production entries were submitted to the Student Jury, which is the highest number since this award was launched.

Highlights from this year’s shortlist include Summer of Soul, which has received numerous accolades over the last year, including a BAFTA ‘Best Documentary’ and an Oscar for ‘Best Documentary Feature’; Attica, which was nominated for an Oscar for ‘Best Documentary Feature’; and Lost Connections – a combination of 12 regional UK Film Archive Libraries. A full list of this year’s nominees can be found here.

Industry Trends

The 19th annual FOCAL Awards comes at a moment of increased interest in and usage of archival footage.  

“We’ve seen a huge increase in the appetite for archive-driven biographies and alternative narratives, as well as major streaming platforms becoming more engaged with archive-based productions,” said Mary Egan. “And the demand for archival footage is not limited to documentary and non-fiction. We’re seeing archive footage find its footing in short productions targeted for online consumption. And while there is not a specifical category within the FOCAL Awards, we have noticed a trend and an increase in archive footage used in drama productions, especially during the pandemic.”

What’s Next

The Awards gala will mark the end of a full year’s effort by Mary Egan and her team at FOCAL, including Adrienne Kuster and Camille Carlier, as well as FOCAL’s Awards Working Group and the Awards jury members, who have all worked tirelessly to bring this year’s event to life. In the meantime, the next four weeks promises to be a whirlwind.

“We’re in the process of the second-round production jury to determine the winners from each of the categories within the shortlisted nominees,” said Mary Egan. “We will be announcing the Shortlisted Nominees for Restoration and Preservation as well as the Personnel Awards mid-May. Furthermore, we are working with the students at ‘National Film and Television School’ in the UK, and ‘INA Sup’ in France to review a shortlist and winner for the ‘Student Jury Award for Most Inspiring Use of Archive.’ We will shortly be announcing the Lifetime Achievement Award. In addition, we’ll be working on the production of the FOCAL Awards Gala Evening and all that entails.”

For more information on the awards, including ticket sales and sponsorship opportunities, please click here.