RTS Student Awards

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”.

The National Film School at IADT dominated the RTS Republic of Ireland Student Awards in late February on the iconic The Late Late Show stage at RTÉ in Dublin.

With Love from Aidan won four awards for the National Film School: Best Drama, and Craft Awards in Camerawork, Editing and Production Design. The National Film School also took home the Factual – Short-form prize for Simone James Documentary, and the Craft Awards for Sound (The Lesser Part) and Writing (How to Skin a Cheetah).

The Nottingham Trent University student’s film, Orange Striped Socks, which also won in the Animation category, was chosen by the Dudley-born comic and actor, who praised its “extraordinary craftsmanship”, calling it “very moving and beautifully well done”.

The night’s other principal awards were shared around the region’s universities.

The ceremony was held at The Alan Hotel in Manchester on 23 March.

RTS North West Student Television Awards winners

The awards were presented this afternoon at a prestigious ceremony at the London College of Communication, UAL, hosted by radio and TV presenter Yinka Bokinni.

“This year has proved how important this industry is – I know for a fact that if I hadn’t had my TV in my house during lockdown, I would have been climbing the walls,” said the winner of Drag Race’s first UK series.

Looking at the “amazing young, fresh talent” brought together for the online ceremony by Zoom, The Vivienne added: “Knowing that the future of TV is in your hands really puts me at ease.”