17/04/2008

Universal Pictures UK was the clear winner at the annual British Video Association (BVA) Awards. The company won three awards for Marketing Initiatives in the Film (The Bourne Ultimatum), Children (The Snowman) and Special Interest (Alan Carr: Tooth Fairy Live).

Universal also won the Best British Film of the Year award (The Bourne Ultimatum), which was voted for by the British public in association with the website MyMovies.net.

Revolver Entertainment picked up two BVA awards. The first was for the Marketing Initiative in the Non-Theatrical category for The Zombie Diaries. The second was for the Creative Initiative of the Year for The Zombie Walk – where over 700 people in Zombie costume did the zombie walk across London to promote The Zombie Diaries.

According to the judges: “The campaign stretched across multiple disciplines and new social networks whilst being innovative and having an impact, considering the small budget.”

Eagle Rock Entertainment, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, Liberation Entertainment, Momentum Pictures and EMI, with their authoring house Abbey Road, won awards in the other marketing and Production categories. HMV and LoveFilm won the retail and rental categories. The Top Retail Title of the Year went to Sony Pictures for Casino Royale [+see also:
trailer
film profile], which sold over 3 million units.

Barrie Gold of S Golds & Sons’s was accorded the special BVA Lifetime Achievement Award. BVA Director General Lavinia Carey said: “Barrie has been in the industry for over 50 years, but it’s not his longevity that we are celebrating, but his contribution to the industry over that time as a supplier to most high street stores and as champion of the independent dealer.”