Bridgend Teacher and Crickhowell Young Filmmaker Nominated for Prestigious UK Award
Winners Announced 28 June at Star-Studded London Ceremony
An exceptional Bridgend teacher and impressive young filmmaker from Crickhowell are both set to walk the red carpet as nominees next week, with the return of the Into Film Awards after a year’s hiatus due to Covid-19. Teacher Jemma Evans (Pictured above) of Penybont Primary School in Bridgend and 17-year-old filmmaker Eden from Crickhowell will attend a star-studded ceremony at ODEON Luxe Leicester Square on 28 June. Hosted by comedian Sue Perkins and organised by film education charity, Into Film, it engages with over half of UK schools and counts Rhys Ifans, Matthew Rhys, Eddie Redmayne, Kenneth Branagh, Jack Lowden and Naomie Harris among its Ambassadors.
Bridgend’s Jemma Evans is nominated for the prestigious Teacher of the Year Award, making it a potential hattrick for Wales given the previous two winners come from Swansea and Pontyclun – Timm Dadds in 2020 and Rhys Roberts in 2019 respectively. Sponsored by Working Title Films, Jemma is nominated for truly embracing film learning in her 17 years at Penybont, particularly her passion in supporting students to develop stop-motion animation, her extensive use of Into Film+ across the curriculum and in organising trips to the Into Film Festival helping disadvantaged children to experience cinema for the very first time.
On her Teacher of the Year Nomination, Jemma says: “I was thrilled to discover that I had been shortlisted for Teacher of the Year. I love being a teacher and I love teaching through film. I couldn’t believe my luck when I found out that Film Clubs existed all those years ago! I’m passionate about teaching with film because children are always so engaged in their learning. Film plays such an important part within the new Curriculum for Wales, as an exciting medium to help children become creative, digitally skilled citizens. Through film I’m able to transport them around our beautiful Wales and around the world, enabling them to experience different cultures and societies and to understand other perspectives and broaden their own.”
17-year-old Eden from Crickhowell will be named as one of the three ‘Ones to Watch’ – an award developed in partnership with BFI Film Academy to recognise three phenomenal young people who have already impressed in the world of film. Eden is a former Into Film Award winner for her film I’m the One in 2020 and is about to study Film Production at the Arts University of Bournemouth. Each of the three young people will receive industry mentoring, and the chance to win a cash prize of £1,000 to help support their film journey.
Eden says: “‘Ones to Watch’ is a particularly special nomination: the possibility that the jury at Into Film has seen potential in my filmmaking for the future is such an inspiring prospect. I was always that kid on the playground that would rather recite every scene in Harry Potter than play a game of tag. From a young age I discovered that filmmaking provided me with the ability to construct whatever narrative excited me at the time, which was an eye opening and thrilling concept. I hope to see myself in the future with a film production company and creating feature films that all audiences can resonate with.”
The Into Film Awards honour incredible Into Film Clubs, inspiring educators and talented young review writers as well as a host of remarkable films submitted across six filmmaking categories. This year’s films cover a wide range of themes and topics, including the impact of lockdown on mental health, the intersection of race and beauty standards in the UK, Ukrainian cultural identity, climate change and environmental protection, managing OCD, anti-bullying, the importance of kindness and the anniversary of integrated education being introduced in Northern Ireland.
Non Stevens, Head of Into Film Cymru, says: “The aim of the UK-wide Into Film Awards is
to promote the power of film in supporting the educational, cultural and personal development of children and young people. The new curriculum in Wales, which goes live in September, is in good hands with the likes of Jemma teaching our children. We’re so proud that Eden and Jemma are flying the flag for our small nation once more, as so many have done before them! Like Hedydd, who is a previous winner of the ‘Ones to Watch’ category, and now presenter of the award next week! And with Jemma following in the footsteps of two previous winners from Wales – Timm and Rhys – we’ve also a possible hattrick on our hands! All the praise we offer Wales on the football field, is something we should replicate for our teachers here in Wales.”
The Into Film Awards are made possible with support from the film industry through sponsorship and supported by the BFI using National Lottery funding, thanks to National Lottery players and the UK film industry through Cinema First. The National Lottery raises £36 million each week for good causes across the UK.
Find out more about the Into Film Awards nominees and watch all the nominated films: https://www.intofilm.org/news-and-views/articles/into-film-awards-2022-nominees