Derry Young Filmmakers Win Best Horror At Mini Oscars

Young filmmakers from Derry won a mini Oscar at the First Light Movies Awards in a ceremony at Leicester Square on 4 March.
Hysteria, produced by The Nerve Centre in Derry won the Best Horror Category. The posters for Hysteria suggest that a wicked new DJ set could breathe life into the town's old nightclub, but when a group of 16 to 18-years-olds suffer fatally for their night out maybe it wasn't such a good idea.
This next generation of filmmakers, all aged between 5 and 19 years old, made their short digital films with National Lottery money through First Light Movies funding.
They picked up prizes at a star-studded awards ceremony held at the world-famous ODEON Leicester Square and hosted by Big Brother presenter Davina McCall. The ceremony was attended by a host of stars including Kevin Spacey, Sir Ian McKellen and new Bond beauty Gemma Arterton. In total, more than 800 people were present including several film industry movers and shakers.
All this year's winners and nominees will see their work showcased in millions of homes via Virgin Media's TV on Demand service. Select movies can also be accessed by anyone with a broadband connection at www.virginmedia.com/firstlightmovies.
Young winning First Light Movies filmmakers will also be given the opportunity to introduce and screen their films to more than 300,000 students across the UK during Film Education's National Schools Week this October.
First Light Movies provides funding and expertise for five-to-19-year-olds throughout the UK to make films using National Lottery money through UK Film Council funding.
First Light Movies chief executive Pip Eldridge said: "Year after year I am astounded by the young people’s filmmaking talent and their astute ability to translate their own stories and experiences to the screen resulting in brilliant films that are thoroughly enjoyable to watch.
"Today's celebration is dedicated to the young people's hard work and commitment, many of whom have overcome adversities in their lives to produce their films. The atmosphere in the ODEON this afternoon was electric and it's almost impossible to describe how excited the nominees were."
(DS/JM)