Floella Benjamin honoured at 2019’s Women in Film and Television Awards

The 29th Women in Film & Television Awards took place earlier today at the Park Lane Hilton.

The gong dispensing affair was presided over for the sixth time by broadcaster and presenter Sandi Toksvig and celebrated 2019’s most inspiring women in the aforementioned industries.

“I never cease to be overwhelmed by the sheer level of talent and brilliance at the WFTV awards. I come back year after year to host them, because there simply is no other event like this in the film and TV calendar.

 

“To be in the same room as all these amazing and inspiring women makes this such an uplifting and inspiring day”. – Sandi Toksvig

With a career spanning almost 50 years presenter, actor, producer and writer of over 30 children’s books Floella Benjamin was honoured with The EON Productions Lifetime Achievement Award presented to her by stage and screen actress, and Gold Digger star Nikki Amuka-Bird.

“I am absolutely honoured and thrilled to be receiving The Lifetime Achievement Award as I have long admired the WFTV Awards because it is a fantastic celebration of all women in the TV and Film industry. The awards are such an important event and I feel I am representing the contribution made by those in the Children’s industry by accepting this prestigious award and I thank WFTV for this recognition”. – Floella Benjamin

Strictly Come Dancing host Claudia Winkleman was awarded with The EIKON Presenter Award by her good friend and fellow presenter Kirsty Young, with Derry Girls writer Lisa McGee taking home The ScreenSkills Writing Award presented by John Lloyd, and actress Cherylee Houston took home The ITV Studios Achievement of the Year accolade, presented by her Coronation Street co-star Rula Lenska.

The Walking Dead star Samantha Morton was presented with The Best Performance Award by Julian Rhind-Tutt whom she performed alongside in Harlots earlier this year, while Laurie Nunn, writer and creator of Sex Education, was presented with The Netflix New Talent Award by Meera Syal.

Channel 4 News’s Krishnan Guru-Murthy presented the broadcaster’s news chief, Dorothy Byrne, with The Argonon Contribution to the Medium Award. Founder of Sister Pictures Jane Featherstone was presented with The Barclays Business Award by Emily Watson in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the industry, and Helena Bonham-Carter presented The Deluxe Director Award to her ‘favourite director’ Jessica Hobbs, whom she worked with on The Crown.

“What our WFTV Awards demonstrate more vividly than any data or survey is the huge number of talented women working in film and TV in the UK. Today is our chance to celebrate them and their achievements and inspire women working throughout our industry to send a very clear message that there should be no limit to their ambitions”. – Liz Tucker, Chair and Acting CEO of WFTV

Attendees included Gurinder Chadha, Rosalie Craig, Jenni Falconer, Deborah Frances-White, Daisy Haggard, Ophelia Lovibond, Katherine Ryan and Ruth Wilson. A full list of gong recipients can be found below.

The Barclays Business Award Jane Featherstone
The Technicolor Creative Technology Award Emma Oxley
The Craft Award Judi Lee-Headman
The ENVY Producer Award Faye Ward
The EIKON Presenter Award Claudia Winkleman
The IMDb Project Management Award Jo Burn
The Netflix New Talent Award Laurie Nunn
The ITV Studios Achievement of the Year Award Cherylee Houston
The Deluxe Director Award Jessica Hobbs
The ScreenSkills Writing Award Lisa McGee
The Best Performance Award Samantha Morton
The BBC News and Factual Award Katya Adler
The Argonon Contribution to the Medium Award Dorothy Byrne
The EON Productions Lifetime Achievement Award Floella Benjamin