A film made by Hallam students featuring Sheffield poet laureate Warda Yassin has been named the inaugural winner of the Yorkshire Student Film Competition

Press contact: Greg Mattocks-Evans | g.mattocks-evans@shu.ac.uk

The competition, created by Sheffield Hallam University, Screen Yorkshire and Welcome to Yorkshire, received eleven film submissions covering a diverse range of Yorkshire topics.

All films were produced, scripted, directed and acted by students from Sheffield Hallam University and gave them the chance to tell their Yorkshire stories and to showcase the county.

Four films were shortlisted with members of the public invited to choose their favourite, with the winner unveiled at a special ceremony at Sheffield Hallam University on Wednesday (10 November).

The winning film, Victoria Street, is a visual representation of the poem of the same name by Sheffield-based poet Warda Yassin.

Out of Tea Out of Time, an action-comedy short which sees the lead actor race against a boiling kettle to make his morning cup of tea, was named the runner-up.

As part of the competition, the students received mentoring and guidance from some of the film industry’s top professionals with Screen Yorkshire, as part of their Connected Campus initiative which aims to forge close links between TV and Film professionals, production companies, broadcasters and students.

Through the connections made during the project, several students involved have secured roles working on films such as the forthcoming Mission Impossible film and the Game of Thrones prequel, House of the Dragon.

Film and media production student Thomas Fowler, who produced Out of Tea Out of Time, secured a role as a location marshal on the Derbyshire-based set of Missions Impossible, ensuring that a perimeter was formed so that the public couldn’t enter the set.

Thomas said: “I thought it would be a few years before I would even have a chance of landing a role like this, so to have the opportunity to work on such a high-profile project was incredible.

“I remember shaking afterwards when I found out that I had got the job.”

Principal lecturer in media arts and communication at Sheffield Hallam University, Annie Watson said: “This cross departmental, industry commissioned project was a fantastic initiative for our film students.

“To experience such a direct connection with the industry and one that extends beyond the initial project (through the competition and the public screenings) is of vital importance, in terms of ambition, development and inspiration.”

Richard Knight, career support manager at Screen Yorkshire, said: “The students received direct input and guidance on their films through development, shoot and edit from the crème de la crème of the UK film industry, which represents everything that our connected campus programme is about.

“Added to that the fantastic opportunity for the best of the films to be showcased on yorkshire.com thanks to Welcome to Yorkshire’s involvement, and the result is an incredible learning experience for the students. I am so proud of all they have achieved.”

James Mason, Welcome to Yorkshire Chief Executive said: “This has been an amazing opportunity for Yorkshire’s incredibly talented students to show top industry specialists their skills and creativity, whilst showcasing our beautiful county far and wide.

“Yorkshire has a rich history of world-class TV and film production, with ideal locations including breath-taking countryside, stunning coastline, vibrant cities, contemporary and heritage sites, from impressive stately homes to gritty industrial settings.”

Watch the shortlisted student films