Rising Filmmaking Talent Honoured at the WJEC Eduqas Moving Image Awards
Talented film and media students from across the UK have been celebrated at the 12th annual Moving Image Awards ceremony held at the British Film Institute in London.
Launched in 2014 in partnership with the British Film Institute, the Moving Image Awards celebrate outstanding moving image work by students studying Eduqas Film and Media qualifications.
The 2026 awards featured categories including Short Film, Music Video, Screenplay, Film/TV Extract, Animation, One to Watch, and the Student Jury Prize.
Aspiring young directors, screenwriters, and producers gathered with proud families and teachers to celebrate the remarkable work produced during their qualification process, including the work of Jacob Ellis from Wales High School in Sheffield, who won the Student Jury Prize as well as being runner-up in the Film/TV Extract category.
Jacob won the Student Jury Prize for his film extract titled ‘The Mystery of Jane Edwards’, which follows a podcaster who is investigating the disappearance of a local legend. The film extract was produced in the style of a documentary going behind the scenes of the podcast.
The judges commended Jacob for his accomplished editing as well as close-ups and noted the use of contrasting black and white shots with colour.
They said the podcaster was well characterised in the on-location shots, with the addition of atmospheric sounds. Finally, the judges commented that the narrative structure was complex but worked well.
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Further awards went to:
Short Film
Gleb Glazunov from DLD College in London was awarded the top prize in the Short Film category for their project titled ‘Shadow of Paradise’. The short film features a young man who returns home to see his family but is haunted by a strange spectre.
Judges praised Gleb for their creation of an ambitiously surreal short film with exceptional attention to detail within the mise-en-scène. Judges noted how the short film was a technically confident and cleverly edited to explore a moody and mysterious narrative.
Music Video
Charlotte Mack from Burnley College in Lancashire was awarded the top prize in the Music Video category for their project titled ‘One of those crazy girls’. The music features a fictitious all-female indie rock band, Velvet. The video showcases super-energetic performances and a sharp, funny narrative about relationships.
Judges noted how the music video was an accomplished, well-constructed production with an excellent focus on performance and refreshing representations. Charlotte was praised for her excellent control in filming and editing and interesting use of the telephone motif throughout the production.
Screenplay
Jacob Pattison from Bilborough College in Nottingham was awarded the top prize in the Screenplay category for their project titled ‘A Date with Deja-Vu’.
The screenplay follows a young woman who gets stuck inside a multiversal time-loop during the worst date of her life, and is brutally killed in increasingly absurd scenarios. Every time she dies, something about the loop changes. Judges praised the fast pacing of the screenplay and noted how the action is, at times, genuinely funny.
Film/TV Extract
Toby Widdows from Taunton Exam Centre in Somerset was awarded the top prize in the TV/Film Extract category for their project titled ‘The Remaining One’. The extract is an opening sequence of a dystopian/apocalyptic action-adventure sci-fi film.
Judges praised Toby for creating a thought-provoking and moving extract which creatively embeds the sci-fi conventions in an authentic manner. Judges noted that the voice-over constructs a clear and effective narrative.
Animation
Ruby Dutton from Newcastle-Under-Lyme College in Staffordshire was awarded the top prize in the Animation category for their project titled ‘Little Old Me’. The animated film revolves around a character's experience with growing up and their feeling of losing their inner child as the mundanity of day-to-day life bogs them down, yearning for a simpler time where their outlook on life was untainted by the reality of adulthood.
Judges noted that this was a beautifully animated and relatable film about growing up and losing your inner child. They commended the filmmaker for incorporating different animation styles well to convey the character's parallel lives.
One to Watch
Harley Firth from Wales High School in Sheffield was awarded the One to Watch prize as well as being runner up in the Short Film Category for their project titled ‘Keep Me In The Loop’. This short film follows a girl called Olivia who has found herself in the unusual position of reliving the same day over again.
Harley was praised by judges for their excellent structure, editing and cinematography. Judges noted that it was an incredibly well put together short film, showcasing a high level of confidence and technical competence.
Praise from the Eduqas team
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Dr Jenny Stewart, WJEC Eduqas Film Studies Subject Officer, said: “As in previous years, we are highly impressed by the exceptional talent showcased in this year’s Moving Image Awards. “The excellent moving image work on display reflects the continued growth and success of Eduqas Film and Media qualifications, and would not be possible without the dedication and hard work of young filmmakers and their teachers. |
“We would like to extend our thanks to our judges, who shortlisted and engaged in some very difficult discussions to determine the winners, due to the exceptionally high calibre of entries.
“We also thank teachers, parents, and guardians for their continued encouragement and support in nurturing young film and media talent.”
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“As the film and media industry continues to grow, it is important to champion and promote emerging talent from students. The ideas we have seen in these awards show just how bright the future is, and I am excited to see where these young filmmakers take their talents next.”
For more information on the Moving Image Awards, visit Moving Image Awards website.