Renfrewshire Council’s Arts Services wins top UK film award

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‘Innocent Reality’ picked up the Best Drama Film. The film was a result of the hard work of three local teenagers who got their first taste of film-making as part of the Council’s ‘Street>life’ urban arts project, which saw the arts service bring together a group of 100 young people from across Renfrewshire. Based on the issues of families dealing with parents who are abusing alcohol, it was conceived, scripted and filmed by the young people along with some support from the Arts Service video workers.

Gregor Dewar, was the main video worker who helped the young people. He said: “We are delighted with the award. It means so much for the young people involved in the film. They all worked very hard and displayed an enormous amount of professionalism from the scripting to the acting in the film.”

First Light is the UK Film Council’s young peoples' film making initiative and is funded by the National Lottery. The Awards celebrate the best in young people’s film making from across the UK. More than 200 young people attended this years Awards as well as celebrities, film industry executives and Minister for Creative Industries and Tourism James Purnell MP. Blue Peter star Konnie Huq was host for the Awards this year, with both movie stars Nicholas Cage and Nicholas Hoult, from ‘About a Boy’ presenting the award for Best Drama to the Paisley team.

Judges this year included the new James Bond, Daniel Craig; broadcast legend Sir David Attenborough; Martin Freeman of Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy; and Bend it Like Beckham director Gurindar Chadha. Renfrewshire’s entry ‘Innocent Reality’ received glowing praises from First Light judge and James Bond MI6 aide, actor Colin Salmon. He said: “It was a beautiful film, melded into a powerful tale; well told and well acted.”

Councillor Roy Glen, Convener of Renfrewshire Council’s Lifelong Learning and Work Policy Board, also praised the youngsters work:: “This council is committed to the development of our young people. It is great to see the creative talent we have in Renfrewshire and our innovative projects such ‘Street>life’, that are helping to develop our young people. This award is not only a great achievement for the young people involved, it will also help put Renfrewshire strongly on the film and arts map.”

First Light Chief Executive Pip Eldridge added: “This year’s awards were a fantastic tribute to the talent and imagination that young people bring to the world of film.”

Renfrewshire Council’s Art Service has a strong record of success in films and video production. In 2004/05 the Council won the Education Department Partnership Award for their heritage arts project celebrating the rebirth of the Paisley’s historic Anchor Mills. They were also one of the first Councils to get school pupils to make their own films as part of a bullying initiative.

Press Release: Thursday 2 March 2006