The Ben Steiner Bursary, launched in 2009, was created in memory of the late Ben Steiner, a British Sign Language interpreter, Senior Lecturer, and a passionate, talented individual deeply committed to the Deaf community. Renowned for his love of the arts and his dedication to supporting Deaf individuals in the film industry, Ben left behind a lasting legacy.
The £5,000 Bursary was established to provide D/deaf aspiring filmmakers aged 18 and over with the opportunity to produce a film and showcase their work to a broader audience.
It included a filmmaking course led by deaf award-winning director John Maidens and participants were required to pitch their proposals to a judging panel. The winning films were then exclusively premiered the following year at Deaffest, the UK’s leading Deaf-led Film and Arts Festival.
Past winners of the Ben Steiner Bursary are Bim Ajadi (Dead Money 2009), Stephen Collins (Luke Starr 2011), Ted Evans (Retreat 2013) and Teresa Garratty (The Quiet Ones 2015) who all made their films after sending their ideas into the scheme. Their films have been highly recognised at both UK and international film festivals.
You can watch the films (except Retreat) via the Deaffest Online Cinema!
Deaffest 