Film education in Wales shines with five coveted award nominations

Stephen Price

Five Welsh filmmakers have been nominated for this year’s prestigious Into Film Awards in London – the UK’s greatest celebration of youth creativity and filmmaking talent.

Nominees from Cardiff, Conwy, Gwynedd, Merthyr Tydfil and Pontypridd will attend a star-studded red-carpet ceremony at ODEON Luxe Leicester Square in London on Tuesday 16 June 2026, where celebrities from the world of film and entertainment will present 13 awards in total.

For example, filmmaking Champion Ben Gregory has dedicated over a decade to running a Welsh Language film club in rural Dyffryn Nantlle, helping more than 100 young people produce 18 films since 2013, with work recognised at festivals including the Into Film Awards. He works tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure the club’s survival and growth, with alumni going on to careers in film and TV and crediting the club as the spark for their passion.

Ben Gregory told Into Film Cymru: “I was surprised to hear that I am to receive this UK Award. That said, I’m very proud to receive such recognition. However, this nomination really belongs to the young people of Dyffryn Nantlle. They’re the ones who turn up, put in the work, and make the films. My role is to simply provide opportunities to help nurture creativity and help them develop their skills and gain new experiences.”

These are not one-off success stories. This year’s Awards received over 400 entries from every corner of the UK, with stories ranging from light-hearted comedies to thought-provoking documentaries. Themes include being a teenage Ukrainian refugee, staying safe online, young people’s mental health, special educational needs, female Muslim identity, socio-economic difference, the potential harms of AI, and much more.

Non Stevens, Head of Into Film Cymru, said: “These nominations are a testament to what sustained engagement with film education can achieve. Film isn’t a classroom add-on. Film builds literacy, numeracy and digital skills. Film captures engagement, ignites the imagination, provides equitable access to international culture and a platform for self expression and storytelling. Film drives cross-curricular learning and plays a key role in bringing Curriculum for Wales to life in classrooms across the country. When schools and young people commit to film over years, the results speak for themselves. Congratulations to every one of this year’s nominees.”

Welsh Nominees

Best Animation, 5 to 11 years – Sponsored by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, UK

The Letter – Year 5, Caedraw Primary School, Merthyr Tydfil

This school returns for the second consecutive year, with another Year 5 Class, with their predecessors winning ‘Cae yr Arth’

This is a stop-motion animation about loneliness and courage, following a character who must take the first step to change his own situation. Working before and after school over several months, the children handled everything from hand-drawn storyboarding to digital editing, learning along the way that great storytelling requires resilience, teamwork, and knowing when to step away and recharge.

Best Documentary – Sponsored by 72 Films

The Mari Lwyd, Llanharan Primary School, Pontypridd

Teacher Rhys Roberts won Into Film’s Teacher of the Year in 2019, clearly demonstrating that generations of pupils are reaping the rewards of those skills.

A class of 22 pupils aged 9 to 11 years created a mini-documentary exploring the history and meaning of the Mari Lwyd, a unique Welsh Christmas tradition, using acting, presenting, self-composed digital music, and creative camera work. Inspired by a school assembly on Welsh festive customs, the children wanted to show that ancient traditions stay alive when young people choose to keep them going.

Best Film, 12 to 15 years – Sponsored by Warner Bros. Discovery

Snapped Strings, Willows High School, Cardiff, working with Iris Prize

The school has worked closely with Into Film Cymru over a number of years. This year, 15 pupils worked with the Iris Prize team over a half-term to develop and produce this short drama about grief, isolation, and a father and son finding their way back to each other. The experience gave the group hands-on insight into professional filmmaking crafts, from scriptwriting and casting to original music composed and performed by one of the students.

Filmmaking Champion Sponsored by Working Title Films

Ben Gregory, Yr Orsaf / Clwb Ffilm Dyffryn Nantlle, Penygroes, Gwynedd

Ben has received recognition multiple times as a result of his work with Clwb Ffilm Dyffryn Nantlle in Gwynedd over the past ten years and more.

Ones to Watch – Sponsored by EON Productions

Araminta Stuart (aged 17), Conwy

Since picking up a camera at 16, Araminta has moved quickly from filming church highlight reels to winning last year’s Into Film Awards, while simultaneously building a professional portfolio that includes weddings, concerts, client work, as well as a remote editing job and part-time studies. Last year, she won the Time for Action Award, aged just 16 years, for a film she made in under 24 hours.

The Into Film Awards are made possible through sponsorship from across the UK screen industry: Amazon MGM Studios; EON Productions; IMDb; Lucasfilm Ltd.; ODEON; Paramount; Pinewood Studios; Shepperton Studios; Swatch; Universal Pictures; The Walt Disney Studios; Warner Bros. Discovery; Working Title Films; and 72 Films. Into Film is supported by the BFI, awarding National Lottery funding.

Last year’s ceremony was attended by Hugh Grant, Callum Scott-Howells, Geri Horner, Celyn Jones, Elizabeth McGovern, Gurinder Chadha and Lennie James.

Visit www.intofilm.org/awards for more information: