UCA graduate Ross Stringer has won a BAFTA for his animated film Crab Day.

The film won the British Short Animation Award at the glitzy Sunday ceremony, going up against Visible Mending and Wild Summon.

In his acceptance speech Ross said: “There’s a lot to be said about the power of standing up for what you believe in and choosing to be yourself, no matter what the world expects of you. Thank you very much.”

Ross graduated from UCA Farnham four years ago and currently works at the university as a visiting lecturer.

The boy in Crab Day is based on Ross and explores his relationship with masculinity and how he defines it.

It was shown to staff and students at UCA a few days before the awards and Ross explained how Covid played a part in its inception.

He said: “I held on to the idea for a whole year and I was always interested in the imagery of fish.

“After graduating from UCA Farnham, I went back to live with my parents, using my hour of outdoor time walking around my hometown of Great Yarmouth, walking along the beach, looking at buildings, and people.

“That summoned up all these memories of how I grew up.”

Ross, whose animation aesthetic is stripped back, was influenced by old drawings he’d made when he was five as well as cave paintings, such as the Lascaux Caves, dubbed as the earliest form of animation.

Talking about ancient cave paintings, Ross added: “I love how they always draw the animals massive and it gives you the impression that the animal is held as a huge cultural significance amongst the people.

“I wanted to mirror that with my crab.”

Lesley Adams, Programme Director of animation at UCA, said: “When I first saw it, I knew it would do well because the heart of the film is there.”