Watch: Welsh Refugee Council wins award for film showing devastating impact of Borders Bill

The Welsh Refugee Council has been awarded an international and critically acclaimed prize for their short film highlighting the devastating impact of the UK Government’s Nationality and Borders Bill.

The short video was produced with the help of production company Bak and depicts the consequences of the Nationality and Borders Bill as friends, colleagues and neighbours seemingly ‘vanish’.

The award-winning video makes clear the Welsh Refugee Council’s vision that Wales should always remain a nation of sanctuary.

Representatives from the Welsh Refugee Council and Bak attended the Smiley Charity Awards in Leicester Square, London.

Honour

The award ceremony celebrated charities from across the UK, with competitors such as Shelter, Mind, Save the Children and Barnardo’s.

The Welsh Refugee Council received the most prestigious award of the night ‘The Grand Prix Film of the Year 2023’.

The award was voted on by 62 judges, and the public, all of whom considered Welsh Refugee Council’s film to be the best film of the night.

Welsh Refugee Council’s Head of Communications and Engagement, Harriet Protheroe Soltani said: “We can’t believe it! It’s an absolute honour to be given the biggest award of the night.

“It’s incredibly important that the British public understand the stories and experiences of asylum seekers, we hope this film goes a little way to doing that.

“This film is particularly poignant as the UK Governments seeks to pass the Illegal Migration Bill. This Bill will not work and we want to make it clear that Wales remains a Nation of Sanctuary”

Bak’s Create Director Memet Ali Alabora said: “I wanted to direct this film to show that refugees are humans, humans like you and I, who deserve the right to seek sanctuary, and live a peaceful life. I am a refugee myself, from Turkey. Anyone of us could become a refugee at a moment’s notice”