RTS Student Awards

Sub Rosa, which addresses the harsh treatment of women pregnant out of marriage from the 1950s through to the mid-70s, was named Best Drama. The judges could “almost smell the lino flooring – with strong imagery and narrative, we were suitably impressed”. Jeannie Malcolm also won the Production Design award for her work on the film.

Gnomegeddon, a “brilliant watch” that “blended contemporary social media styles with old school bedtime stories” took home the Entertainment and Comedy Drama award. The Editing prize was awarded to Cosmo Bawler.

This was the first part of a double-header from RTS Republic of Ireland; the second, “How to get your short film made”, offered expert advice from Virgin Media and RTÉ executives.

Walking the Labyrinth, made with a crew of Doherty’s fellow students at Dundalk Institute of Technology’s Film and Television Production course, tells the story of artist Susan Farrelly, who was born in the Bessborough mother and baby home, which, like others in Ireland, carried out forced adoptions.

Spring Is Sure to Follow – “a beautiful story of acceptance with great casting and performances”, said the judges – triumphed in the Drama category. The “funny, whimsical and well-acted” Mantis Shrimp won the Entertainment and Comedy prize.

The Animation category was won by Ulster University, Belfast student Patrick Faulkner with Unseen: Alone in Space, and Ulster University, Coleraine’s Nathan Edgar took home the Factual Short-form award with On the Edge.

Middlesex University students took home the Factual Short-form and Entertainment and Comedy Drama awards. Factual winner The Turning Point by Sanaa Hamdoun told the story of a young Lebanese woman’s determination to break into the film industry, and was “well told and crisply edited”, said the judges.

Alina Ilin and Benjamin Bogdan-Hodgson’s rom-com The Other Half, set in a “gorgeous chocolate box European village” was “very witty”.