The Clanfield film producer who has been nominated for an Oscar

AND the Oscar goes to...

Video Production and Film Studies graduate Rebecca Harris is getting ready to glam up for a night surrounded by Hollywood stars after winning an Oscar nomination for her short film.

Rebecca from Clanfield, said: ‘It’s beyond surreal.

‘It has been such a huge team effort and I’ve always felt extremely lucky to be one of the many people entrusted with this project.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

‘We’re all incredibly proud of what the film itself and the Oscar nomination has achieved.’

Rebecca produced The Silent Child which made the short film category shortlist for the awards which take place on Sunday in Los Angeles.

Set in rural England and inspired by real events, The Silent Child centres upon a profoundly deaf four-year- old girl named Libby.

With the help of a social worker, this once-withdrawn girl suddenly feels connected to the world as the relationship between them blossoms.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The leading role played by a young actress with deafness and it is the first time in 31 years that a film featuring a deaf person has made the Academy Awards’ shortlist.

Rebecca studied her degree at the University of West London (UWL).

The 25-year-old said: ‘Studying at UWL helped me work out what I was good at, introduced me to the right people and it definitely gave me the tools to help start off my career.’

As part of promotional efforts for the film, a viral campaign is taking place with a message of ‘disability is diversity’, aimed at raising the profile of disability as a key ingredient of diversity.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Rebecca said: ‘This is a year of diversity with a huge spot-light on gender and race.

‘We think it’s important to remember that disability should also be included in the diversity bracket and deafness in film is hugely under represented.’

Paul Lohneis, Head of the London School of Film, Media and Design, said: ‘Congratulations to Rebecca for this Oscar nomination, which is richly deserved.

‘She was an exemplary student when she studied here and it’s great to see her talent being recognised by an awards as prestigious as the Oscars.

‘We’re all very proud.’