Students from Isambard Community School in North Swindon brought home a First Light film award for best documentary at a star-studded oscars-syle ceremony at the Leicester Square Odeon on 4 March.

The film entitled ‘The Child and Me’ was made by children from five Swindon primary schools with Create Studios’ outreach wing, Mobile Media last year, and beat over a  hundred other films to clinch the award for Best Documentary at the prestigious national First Light Movie Awards.

Click HERE to see their video! 

The young filmmakers - pictured right with Andy Burnham MP and newsround presenter Lizo Mzimba - were joined by the Mobile Media team to meet a range of celebrities and receive their award, and had to address a hall of 200 hopefuls to make their acceptance speech!

The  children worked with industry professionalsto learn scripting, creative writing, filming and acting skills.  They were teamed with local film director Gurchetan Singh, and musician and screencomposer Barry Andrews.

The sensitive documentary following the story of the children’s transition between primary school to the new Isambard Community School where they now attend : from girls and boys to young women and men, from different backgrounds and homes, to fellow students forging the identity of a new community.  

Create Studios’ Mobile Media ran the project with financial support from  Artpoint, the Public Art Agency for the South East and funding from First Light Movies, who seek to develop the best British filmmakers of the future.

Shahina Johnson, Director of Mobile Media said, “We are so thrilled to have received this prestigious award – and it is a real testament to the dedication of our film making team at Create who want young people to produce work that is truly professional and tackles moving and gripping topics”.  

Rachael Mattey, Headteacher of Isambard School said, “I am very proud of the students and the film. It has been a wonderful experience for them both making the film and now going to the awards ceremony in  London to find that they are winners. We look forward to watching their film making go from strength to strength.”

The First Light Movie Awards is a prestigious event held each year in London featuring various celebrities.  This year First Light had an amazing profile of judges, none other than Orlando Bloom, Kevin Spacey, Nira Park, Stephen Fry and Sam Mendes.

Ryan Jones from Isambard Community School - right, with Lizo Mzimba and fellow pupil Mallory Jackson -  who gave the acceptance speech at the ceremony said, “It was incredible to be up there and receive our award from Newsround Presenter Lizo Mzimba and the Andy Burnham, MP, the Minister for Culture, Media and Sport.  It was great making the film, and I can’t wait to plan our next project now that we have had this incredible award!”

Mobile Media at Create Studios is part of the Arts Services Division of Swindon Borough Council.  Mobile Media is a unique arts project taking the excitement of new digital arts technologies and professional arts practice to children and young people in school and community settings.

Click HERE to see their video!