Students’ film scoops Celtic Festival award

An award-winning film by two graduates of the International Film School Wales (IFSW) has scooped the prize for best short film at the Celtic Film and Television Awards.
It is the second year running that an IFSW film has beat off fierce competition from professional film and television companies to win an award at the prestigious festival.
The film, ‘Shadi in the Beautiful Well’, directed by Mahdi Fleifel, is about an autistic boy living in a Palestinian refugee camp, and was the only Welsh film nominated in its category.
“Shadi in the Beautiful Well’ is an outstanding film that is picking up awards wherever it is shown,” said Gethin While, media development manager at IFSW.
“Shadi has won against a number of short films produced by large film funds and state support bodies and schemes, - just as IFSW graduate James Smith beat the huge budget animation features he was up against last year. This was the only entry from higher education to win yet again.
“This win proves yet again that IFSW is the national talent resource able to help build a global and modern film industry in Wales. In partnership with the Dragon Studios – using our talent, their capital and facilities - we can build a film industry that will be the envy of the world.
“The film’s winning streak is far from over – it has just been accepted for screening at the 2004 Ivy Film Festival in America,” added Gethin.
(GB)