“The standard of entries for 2019 was very high – several jurors said that you could ‘broadcast that tomorrow’ about many of the films we watched,”  said Aradhna Tayal, the Chair of the awards.

“Many seized the opportunity to use their work as a means of challenging and addressing real-life, taboo topics,” she added. “The jurors were in agreement that the entries this year demonstrated the ways in which art can be both important and meaningful.”  

Middlesex University’s Aeddan Sussex won the Comedy and Entertainment category for the second year running, this time for Chopsticks!!. “The story-telling was excellent with a really nice twist at the end, which was sublime,” said the judges.

Just Josie, “a heart-warming, professionally put together piece”, according to the judges, won the Drama prize for a team of University of Westminster students.

Kingston University’s Matthew Armitage took the Animation award for Brass, which the judges commended for its “subversive” style and “unconventional narrative”.

A team of students from London Metropolitan University took home the Factual prize for Waiting For Tomorrow, a film about survivors of rape that offered “raw, powerful testimonies which did not feel exploitative”.

The Short Form award went to Sam W Buffery for I Love Tennis. The London South Bank University student also won the Editing award.

The other Craft Award winners were: Harry Green, University of The Arts London for Paul Is Dead (Camera); Jonathan Hayden Tang, Middlesex University for Chopsticks!! (Production Design); Nathan Da Conceicao, Mateo Donoghue and Liam Illife, University of Westminster for Feed Your Demons (Sound); and Gabriela Sibilska, Goldsmiths for Queen of the Forest (Writing).

Julia Hardy, the presenter of BBC Radio 1’s The Gaming Show, hosted the ceremony at Channel 4. “We thank Channel 4 for its sponsorship and for offering us such an iconic venue for the evening. It is greatly appreciated,”  said RTS London Chair Daniel Cherowbrier.