We are delighted to announce the finalist short films made by young filmmakers across Oxfordshire and Berkshire for the GAP Children’s Film Festival competition, as part of the GAP Festival.
This year’s competition received a total of 38 entries - three times more than our first event in 2022. From this, 21 films have been shortlisted as finalists across three categories by a group of industry professionals.
Entries were received for Best Short Film Under 12s and Best Short Film for Under 18s from residents of Oxfordshire and Berkshire. Submissions for worldwide entries were not sufficient, so the judges closed that category. Previous children winners from 2022 will judge finalist international films, as part of our Children’s Jury Award.
Best Short Film Under 12s
My Dream, directed by Maya Kino-Wylam
The Escape Room, directed by Indi Jhita and Amber Parsley
Day Gone Wrong, directed by Tabitha Bromley
My Butterflies, directed by Willow Daniels
The Portal, directed by Teddy Crosse, Daniel Woolfall, Sam Appleton
Drained Away, directed by Juliet Asselin-Miller
Small, directed by Reuben Fay
Oh Crumbs!, directed by Eadie Tye
Best Short Film Under 18s
Bad Day at Work, directed by Louis Benyon
The Lost Avenger, directed by Jed Beaumont
Mrs Bun the Baker, directed by Freddie Johnson
Twelve and a Half Percent, directed by Jared Hall
Cloned in Captivity, directed by Teddy Stolt-Neilsen
Online Safety, directed by Max Varvill
Bear, directed by Scarlett Olivier
Occult, directed by Tori van Heerden
Sobering, directed by Poppy Tulloch
Where's Mia, directed by Thomas Willett
Children’s Jury Award
Encounters, directed by Eugenia & Jacopo (aged 12) and their teacher Vittorio Caratozzolo (Italy)
Tyrannosaurus Blues, directed by Class 1A (aged 11-12) and their teacher Vittorio Caratozzolo (Italy)
Axinos (Sea Urchin), directed by Anna Maria Kakona (aged 7) and her mother Calliopi Villy Kotoula (Greece)
The creativity of this year’s entries has been phenomenal. The judges were blown away by the genius and technical execution of films submitted.
The majority of our Under 12s are first time filmmakers and with the help of the free workshops that we hosted locally, it has been great to see them kick-start their journey into filmmaking.
Come and see the screening of the finalist films and celebrate the announcement of the winners on Sunday 9th June at our red carpet premiere event as part of the main GAP Festival.
Hotdogs, popcorn, soft drinks will be available, and following the prize giving, the audience can also enjoy a short family movie.