The Sutherland Trophy was created in 1958 by the British Film Institute (BFI) as an annual award for "the maker of the most original and imaginative [first or second] feature film introduced at the National Film Theatre during the year".[1][2] The award was named after a patron of the BFI, George Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 5th Duke of Sutherland.[2]