Mer 28 Ion 2009

Celebrations were in full swing at the Muni Arts Centre, Pontypridd, last Friday night as winners of the Zoom Young Filmmaker of the Year Award 2009, collected their prizes in a special Awards Ceremony which brought the festivities of Wales’ International Young People’s Film Festival to a close. This years awards ceremony was presented by ITV’s Wales Tonight reporter Duncan Golestani and Channel 4’s Shipwrecked islander Keris Hopkins.

There were several local winners; Bryn Celynog Comprehensive from Rhondda Cynon Taff were awarded Best film in age category 8-13 for "Buzz Buzz Buzz" and Tonypandy Community College won the Zoom Audience Award with their film made for the festival called "Tonypandy's Turbines".

The Caerphilly Youth Forum won Best Animated Film with their 10 minute entry titled "Look at Me Now". From Torfaen the entry "Running Free" from St Albans School took the award for Best film in age category 14- 25.

Barry Comprehensive School from the Vale of Glamorgan had 3 nominated films "Soap" for Best Performance and in the Best Direction (Sponsored by Rhondda Cynon Taff's 14-19 Pathways Programme) category "Balloon" and winning film "Vince". In the category Best Direction the entry "The Hunted" from the Merhtyr Media Project was Highly Commended by the judges.

From North and West Wales we received a high number of entries. The winners included "Dros Ben Llestri" from GALERI Caernarfon for Best Performance; "Rhyl's Revival" by the Rhyl Youth Action Group for Best Documentary and Best Welsh language film went to "Elvis Preseli" from th Brynffynnon Referral Unit in Y Felinheli. From Gwynedd the film "Chucks" won the award for Best Fiction.

The Zoom Audience award went to the film "Riding down hill at Rhydyfoel" made in Conwy.

Lisa Davies, Director of Zoom Says "The films entered and winning just keep getting better year on year. This year all the films shortlisted that could have easily won. We really hope that all the young filmmakers are encouraged to continue making films and I look forward to seeing them all entered for the 2010 awards. This years festival has been bigger and better than ever, and all that is down to the enthusiasm of the young people from across Wales to be challenged by new films, masterclasses and workshops – everyone seemed to have a great time and we can’t wait to start planning next year!"