College tutor wins BAFTA

Edinburgh College of Art drama tutor Morag McKinnon has won Best Feature at the Scottish BAFTAs for her film Donkeys.

McKinnon teaches drama directing at the College. Donkeys is her debut feature length film.

It beat Neds, directed and written by Peter Mullan, and Perfect Sense, starring Ewan McGregor and Eva Green, to the prize.

McKinnon, who also graduated from the College's film course, received her award at a ceremony hosted by comedian Kevin Bridges. In attendance were actor Robbie Coltrane, writer Sir Terry Pratchett, and comedian Karen Dunbar.

Sequel Success

Braveheart actor James Cosmo was also honoured at the awards, winning best male for his role in the film.

Donkeys is McKinnon’s follow up to the Andrea Arnold hit film Red Road, and the second part of the Advanced Party projected trilogy all filmed and set in Scotland, and all using the same characters and cast.

Student films triumph

McKinnon’s success follows on from a trio of other recent cinematic victories for Edinburgh College of Art.

MFA Film graduate Julian Schwanitz won the Golden Dove for Best Short Film at the Leipzig Documentary Festival for his MA film Kirkaldy Man.

Animation graduate Will Anderson won the short film Grand Prix at the Warsaw Film Festival for The Making Of Long Bird, his graduation.

Fellow 2011 graduate Lou McLoughlan won Best Student Documentary at the British Documentary Awards on 1 November for her MA film Caring For Calum.