Yorkshire film festival celebrates Oscars coup

Organisers of the famous awards ceremony got in touch with those behind the Leeds International Film Festival this week to confirm it has been approved to become part of the Academy Awards process.

This means the winners of the annual World Animation and Louis Le Prince International Short Film awards at the festival can be nominated to win the short film category of the Oscars from the 2013 ceremony onwards.

Leeds City Council, executive member for leisure, Coun Adam Ogilvie, said: “It is the ultimate accolade for anyone connected with cinema to be part of the Academy Awards so as a city Leeds can feel very very proud.”

The announcement adds to the success of this year’s festival, which runs until Sunday.

Organisers have already revealed that the opening gala screening of Andrea Arnold’s version of Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights – starring James Howson as a black Heathcliff – had been the fastest-selling film in the history of the festival.

Festival director Chris Fell said last night: “This is a real coup for the city as we will join a select group of only 70 other qualifying festivals around the world, including the largest international film events like Venice, Berlin, Sydney, Los Angeles, New York, Sundance and Cannes.”