The winners have been announced for the thirteenth annual Learning on Screen Awards, the UK’s only celebration of film and media production in education and research.
At our ceremony on 27 April at the BFI in London we recognised 41 innovative nominations, with winners announced across 11 categories covering educational documentaries, cutting-edge learning resources, outstanding student films and MOOCs.
This year we were delighted to present the Open University with the Premier Award and the General Education Broadcast Award for EXODUS: OUR JOURNEY TO EUROPE. This important film provides a sobering account of the experiences of Syrian refugees using a combination of interviews and footage caught on handheld cameras.
Our Jury Chair Ian Wall, director of The Film Space commented: ‘The plight of refugees was an issue covered by a number of entries this year. EXODUS: OUR JOURNEY TO EUROPE is a mesmerising and unique experience, both heart-breaking and heart-warming, giving the viewer a truly insider’s view of the refugee crisis.’
The other big winner on the night was University College London student Fernando Mitjans who picked up our Special Jury Award for his documentary LIMPIADORES. The film, which also scooped the Student Postgraduate Award, is a moving account of the struggles faced by outsourced cleaning staff around the world. Our jury praised the editing and sound mixing in this strongly observational, beautifully made and vital film.
In our General Education categories the University of Bath won the in-house award for GENDER AND FAIRTRADE, a thought-provoking documentary articulating the stories of women working in Ghana’s Fairtrade cocoa industry while non-broadcast winner REFUGEE addresses the refugee crisis to Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 students, helping them understand the terrible experiences faced by those fleeing war and unrest, using familiar characters and settings.
In the Courseware and Curriculum categories Angel Productions picked up the in-house award for THE GOOD VIVA VIDEO, an informative film that guides PhD students through the daunting viva process and in Educational Multimedia Award our winner was REACH OUT REPORTER, a fun and interactive resource that helps primary school children understand the latest news and current issues in science.
It was an excellent year of student entries, with the College HE Student Award going to the beautifully produced MR PERFECT directed by Matthew Swallow from The Manchester College, and Kenneth Kangethe from the University of Bedfordshire took home the Student Documentary Award for THE CUT, a funny and vibrant film about the black British barbershop experience and the role it plays in the community.
This year we were delighted to welcome Maggie Aderin-Pocock from the BBC’s Sky at Night as our star speaker, who commented: ‘It was a real honour to attend the awards. Science education through film has played a big role in my life and it is wonderful to see this continue across many subject areas. I was blown away by the wealth of talent showcased across the nominated educational productions. On screen learning is in safe hands.’
WINNERS IN FULL:
Special Jury Award
University College London
Director: Fernando Mitjans
EXODUS: OUR JOURNEY TO EUROPE
General Education Broadcast Award
EXODUS: OUR JOURNEY TO EUROPE
General Education Non-Broadcast Award
Producers: Bob Ayres, Jonathan Green
General In-House Production Award
GENDER AND FAIRTRADE – THE STORIES OF WOMEN COCOA FARMERS
Producers: Roy Maconachie, Elizabeth Fortin, Simon Wharf
Courseware & Curriculum Non-Broadcast Award
Director: Stephen Engelhard
Special Commendation: Shia // Sunni
Courseware & Curriculum In-House Award
FORCED MARRIAGES AND HONOUR BASED ABUSE
Directors: Matt Howcroft and Charlotte Ellis
Educational Multimedia Award
Student Production Further Education Award
Truro and Penwith College
Directors: Seamus Tyrell, Harvey James-Dyer, Alex Smith
Student Production College Higher Education Award
Sponsored by: Educational Recording Agency
Director: Matthew Swallow
Special Commendation: STARS ON MARS
Student Production Undergraduate Award
University for the Creative Arts
Special Commendation: HUSKY
University of Westminster
Student Production Postgraduate Award
University College London
Director: Fernando Mitjans
Special Commendation: FAY PRESTO: THE QUEEN OF CLOSE-UP
University of the Arts, London
Student Production Documentary Award
Sponsored by: Educational Recording Agency
University of Bedfordshire
Director: Kenneth Kangethe
Special Commendation: THE FEMALE VOICE
Goldsmiths, University of London
Director: Julia Dos Santos
Learning on Screen – the British Universities and Colleges Film and Video Council is a charity and membership organisation. We are experts in the use of moving image in education, delivering online academic databases, on demand video resources, training, information and advice. Our work is developed through communication with our members and through the findings of our specialist research unit, providing the higher and further education sector with trusted and scholarly audiovisual services.
The Learning on Screen Awards are held by Learning on Screen to celebrate and reward excellence in the use of moving image and related media in learning, teaching and research. We are indebted to the organisations who support our work. Our sponsors are: Adobe, Latimer Trend and the Educational Recording Agency.
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