Young film-makers from across the country, many from disadvantaged and minority  ethnic backgrounds, gathered yesterday at the glittering awards ceremony in Odeon Leicester Square for the ACTIVISION FIRST LIGHT MOVIES AWARDS 2009.   The country’s next generation of film makers, all between the ages of five and nineteen triumphed across the eight categories; Best Drama, Best Horror, Best Thriller, Best Screenplay, Best Animation, Best Fantasy Adventure, Best Film by Under 12s & Best Film by Over 13s.
 

Hosted by T4 presenters Miquita Oliver and Rick Edwards the ceremony was attended by a mix of film industry luminaries and those who presented the awards included; MICHAEL SHEEN (Frost Nixon), SIENNA MILLER (Factory Girl), DANNY BOYLE (Slumdog Millionaire), JOANNA PAGE (Gavin and Stacey), KAYA SCODELARIO (Skins) and many ore.

 

The winning films are:

BEST DRAMA – ‘One Week Later’ – PVA Medialab – BRIDPORT

BEST HORROR – ‘Molly Moplegs’ – Stockton Borough Council – STOCKTON

BEST THRILLER – ‘Rite Of Passage’ – Ideal Films – SWINDON

BEST SCREENPLAY – ‘Not Cricket’ – Stockton Borough Council – STOCKTON

BEST ANIMATION – ‘A Day IN The Life Of Eddie’ – The Young Carers Project – BRIGHTON

BEST FANTASY ADVENTURE – ‘Doodle Disaster’ – Anim8s – FIFE

BEST FILM BY 12s AND UNDER – ‘What’s In Store’ – Showroom Cinema – SHEFFIELD

BEST FILM BY 13S AND OVER – ‘This Was Forever’ – Polkadotsonraindrops – LONDON

 

Miquita comments: “Presenting this year’s Activision First Light Movies Awards with Rick has been a lot of fun; the nominated films were all fantastic, it must have been pretty hard to decide the winner for each category.”

 

Rick adds: “These young people are the same people who are going to be making the films that we’re all gonna be queuing up for at the local multiplex in ten years time. So of course I’m wholeheartedly behind the whole thing. I’m thinking long term – if I play my cards right I might get some free tickets.”

 

FIRST LIGHT MOVIES provides funding and expertise to enable five to nineteen-year-olds, from all backgrounds throughout the UK, to make their own short digital films. To do this FIRST LIGHT MOVIES distributes £1.1 million of National Lottery money through UK Film Council funding every year. Since launching in 2001, FIRST LIGHT MOVIES has helped over 12,000 young people produce more than 900 films, which range from animations and dramas to comedies and documentaries.

 

Through FIRST LIGHT MOVIES, young people are given the opportunity to work alongside professional filmmakers and are involved with every aspect of filmmaking, from forming the idea and script, through to directing and editing.

 

Leigh Thomas, CEO First Light Movies comments: ‘It’s been another amazing year for First Light Movies and I’m delighted that we once again have the opportunity to celebrate the achievements of so many young people from across the UK. The winning films are truly inspirational; they give a fresh and unique insight into life in Britain today and I hope these Awards help to bring our creative young people the recognition they deserve.’

 

Stewart Till CBE, Chairman of the UK Film Council, adds: “It’s great to see more and more young people embracing filmmaking, telling stories, boosting their confidence and developing a whole host of skills that they can use in every corner of their future lives. The UK Film Council is proud to continue to support this invaluable initiative, and congratulates all of the nominees and winners at this year’s First Light Movies Awards.”