Into Film Awards 2022: Eddie Redmayne, Tom Ellis and Stacey Dooley in attendance as two young Edinburgh filmmakers scoop major awards

The Into Film Awards, held at the Odeon Luxe in London’s Leicester Square on Tuesday, highlighted the work of emerging talent in a range of categories including Best Animation, Best Film, Professor of year and the critic of the year.

Hosted by comedienne Sue Perkins, the awards also featured famous names such as Hollywood star Eddie Redmayne, Lucifer actor Tom Ellis and documentary filmmaker Stacey Dooley.

This year’s winners included Greta McMillan, 18, of Portobello High School, whose film Change Direction topped the New Changes for a Better World category.

Directed and directed by McMillan, who is disabled, through the use of an eye gaze communicator, the short film is described as a “quietly impassioned call to action in the face of climate change apathy” and features the words of 19-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg read by young actors.

Also among the winners was 11-year-old Alex Ribes Cooke from Edinburgh, who won Best Animation for Ages 11 and Under for his animation The Lonely Polar Bear.

Alex, who attends Hermitage Park Primary School, received his award from Pistol star Anson Boon and Doctor Who’s Thaddea Graham.

Broccoli, producer of James Bond and director of Into Film, said: “The Into Film Awards shine a light on young, emerging filmmakers and help young people understand the career opportunities the screen industry could offer them, by attracting new talent and tackling critical technical and craft shortages. that we face in the industry.

Elsewhere, a group of girls from Manchester’s Eden Girls Leadership Academy won the Film Club of the Year award after using theirs to celebrate diversity and female empowerment.

This year’s submissions covered a wide range of topics, including the impact of lockdown on mental health, climate change, bereavement, obsessive-compulsive disorder and anxiety.

The Ones To Watch award, in partnership with the BFI Film Academy, went to Eden Quine-Taylor, 18, from Crickhowell in Wales, while Jemma Evans, from Penybont Primary School in Bridgend, Wales , was named teacher of the year.

The awards are organized by the educational charity Into Film and supported by the UK film industry through sponsorships and the BFI through National Lottery funding.