At a ceremony hosted by BBC One Inside Out North East & Cumbria presenter Chris Jackson, the winning teams received trophies and certificates from the RTS North East and the Borders Centre.

The senior winners were Hartlepool Sixth Form College’s Ely King, who took the Entertainment award for Goner and Stratford upon Avon College’s Alex Eves, whose film, Bloom, won the Drama prize.

In the Factual category, Stockton Sixth Form College students Chloe Rowe, Marty Murphy, Robert Jones, Maryam Murphy, Alana Whenary, Craig Buttery and Tyler Verrill received an RTS Commendation Certificate for Up and Coming.

The professionally supported category is designed to attract entries from courses run for young people, who get support from professionals in the industry. This year there was a significant increase in the number of entries in this category.

Tyneside Cinema collected the Drama award for Friends Online, which was made by Katie Hamilton, Abi Featherstone, Shervin Dibavar, Manny Prime, Samuel Bilcliffe and Amy Jobe.

The cinema was also commended in the Factual category for Out, which was created by Lauren McCaughey, Issy De’Ath, Jack Abernethy and Kaia Allen. This category was won by Northern Stars with Ashleigh, which was made by Francesca Colpitts-Swaby, Lottie Riley, Sophie Paul, Aniyra Chan, Samuel Bilcliffe and Amy Jobe.

Callum Smith, Kieron Dawes, Eddy Watson and Brad Mattinson from Carlisle College were commended in the Entertainment category for P.O.L.I.S.H.

“Film, television and digital content production are part of the fastest-growing sector of the UK economy and it is important young people recognise the opportunities ahead for creative careers. Bringing together the students of the future with the professionals of the present was a real privilege,” said Graeme Thompson, Chair of the RTS Education Committee and Pro-Vice Chancellor at the University of Sunderland.

This Young Peoples’ Media Festival has been running for more than two decades and celebrates work from students, schools and colleges. At the event, festival director Tony Edwards announced that he would be stepping down, with his deputy, Victoria Griffin, set to take over. “It has been a rewarding seven years, during which I have witnessed so much talent in young people,” he said.

The University of Sunderland, Gateshead College, Teesside University, Northumbria University and the RTS sponsored the event.