Producer of ‘Hoard’ Loran Dunn named as BAFTA breakthrough talent

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has named a Manchester Met senior lecturer and the producer of award-winning film Hoard as the recipient of its BAFTA Breakthrough award.

Loran Dunn is amongst a talented group of 2024’s UK Breakthrough Cohort, which BAFTA launched to showcase and help accelerate the careers of the next generation of film, games and TV talent.

Dunn was selected by top film and television peers for the accolade, which aims to give talented screen professionals a boost following a breakthrough year in the industry.

For the next year the filmmaking senior lecturer at the University’s School of Digital Arts (SODA) will receive full voting membership to BAFTA and access to BAFTA events and screenings, as well as top support, industry introductions and career development.

Loran Dunn said: “This is a huge honour and I’m extremely grateful to BAFTA and to my colleagues at SODA, who have been an amazing champion for me and my practice. It will be a privilege to work with the team at BAFTA and I can’t wait to see what the next year brings.”

The BAFTA award follows a glittering year for Dunn, in which her award-winning film Hoard starring Joseph Quinn (Stranger Things) was rolled out to UK cinemas, to great acclaim.

Described by The Guardian as ‘a haunting study of loneliness and thwarted sexuality’ and by Screen Daily as ‘unfettered, uninhibited and bracingly unusual’, Hoard addresses childhood trauma and the way it can manifest in adulthood.

In 2023 the film won four prizes at the Venice International Film Festival including Audience Award and Most Innovative Film. 

Listen to Loran Dunn talking about Hoard on the University’s MetCast podcast here: June 2024 — Making our mark at the box office, meeting the Creative Director of Max Mara, and Monique Roffey’s new novel, Passiontide | Manchester Metropolitan University