Today Elliot Grove & Suzanne Ballantyne received their British Citizen Award Medal of Honour for Services to the Arts, their daughter Désirée Ballantyne-Grove collected on behalf of Suzanne Ballantyne.
For more than thirty years, Elliot and Suzanne have helped thousands of independent filmmakers find their voice. This award is recognition that independent filmmaking matters.
Elliot spoke on getting this award:
Receiving the British Citizen Award is an enormous honour.
But this recognition was never about me.
It belongs to every filmmaker who ever took a chance on themselves.
Every volunteer who gave up weekends.
Every tutor who stayed late.
Every donor who believed that talent deserves opportunity, regardless of background or budget.
For more than thirty years, we’ve helped thousands of independent filmmakers find their voice. Some have gone on to win Oscars. Many more have built meaningful creative careers. Countless others simply discovered the confidence to tell stories that otherwise would never have been told.
The award is recognition that independent filmmaking matters.
Now I’d like to ask for your help.
Through the Independent Film Trust, we’re creating opportunities for filmmakers who might never otherwise have access to training, mentorship or the industry connections they need to begin.
If you’ve ever believed that great stories can change lives, please consider making a donation.
Together, we can ensure the next generation of filmmakers gets the chance that so many of us were lucky enough to receive.
The award recognises the past.
Your support will create the future.
Through the Independent Film Trust (IFT), we’re creating opportunities for filmmakers who might never otherwise have access to training, mentorship or the industry connections they need to begin. If you’ve ever believed that great stories can change lives, please consider making a donation to the IFT at this link.
Together, we can ensure the next generation of filmmakers gets the chance that so many of us were lucky enough to receive.
Raindance promotes and supports independent filmmaking and filmmakers.
From new and emerging to industry pros, Raindance connects, trains, supports, and promotes visual storytellers through every step of their career.
The Raindance Film Festival runs each Summer in London’s Leicester Square.
Raindance has been delivering film training since 1992. A wide range of Open Classesto a 2 year HND Level 5 BTEC in Moving Images to a Postgraduate Film Degree are delivered to students on five continents, both in person and online.
