London: Insight Student Filmmaker Award 2015 launched

The Insight Film Festival Student Filmmaker Award 2015 was launched at Farm Street parish in London on Thursday. Artists, filmmakers, academics and students joined a panel which included Fr Dermot Preston SJ, Provincial of the Jesuits in Britain, to talk about the portrayal of faith in the public square, particularly in visual arts.

All members of the panel echoed the sentiments of Festival Director Abdul-Rehman Malik, who said that amid a fall in church attendance, religion still continues to be a lively theme in modern culture. Panelist Michael Wakelin, former BBC Head of Religion and Ethics and now Director of Programmes for the Coexist Foundation, went further saying that there was a real thirst for religion to be portrayed in a positive light, rather than as simply a problem.

The Insight Film Festival was launched in 2007 to celebrate, exhibit and encourage filmmakers throughout the world to make films on the subject of faith. Last year, it teamed up with the Jesuits in Britain who were able to offer an internship with Loyola Productions in Hollywood to provide the Student Filmmaker Award.

This is a unique opportunity for students engaged in filmmaking to explore, critique and reflect on what faith means in the modern world. Although last year's Award was a pilot project, open only to entrants from the North of England, this year sees the first UK-wide competition. All applicants are invited to participate in at least two master classes with award-winning filmmakers.

Speaking on the panel, Fr Dermot Preston SJ, said: "These competitions are excellent because they bring out the best potential in people, not looking for finished, polished products." Reflecting this focus on potential, entrants don't have to have a completed film, but can hand in a story board or script.

The closing date for applicatings is: 1st May 2015.

Find out more about the competition here: www.insightfestival.co.uk/student-filmmaker-award/sfa-2015

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