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We're thrilled to announce the nominees for the Into Film Awards 2026.
This year's Awards saw a record-breaking 400 submissions across categories ranging from animation, to documentary, to review writing. The amazing number of entries - and the unbelievable quality of them all - made the selection process harder than ever, and once again serves to demonstrate the phenomenal passion, creativity and talent of young people in the UK and those who support them.
This year's nominees feature affecting dramas, dazzling animations, and thought-provoking documentaries. Our new Innovation in Filmmaking category showcases impressive feats of creativity and technical prowess, while Best Film Review puts a spotlight on three budding wordsmiths. Our Ones to Watch award continues to celebrate the brightest and most promising young filmmakers around, while the Filmmaking Champions award pays homage to those professionals and practitioners who use film to support and develop young people in a range of different ways.
All of our nominees will be joining us at the Into Film Awards ceremony at ODEON Luxe Leicester Square in London on Tuesday 16 June 2026, where a host of filmmaking talent will be on hand to present the various awards to our eventual winners.
The Into Film Awards 2026 nominees are...
- Hit the film titles below to jump to and watch each film, or scroll down to read our Best Film Review nominees, and discover this year's Filmmaking Champions and Ones to Watch.
Best Animation: 5-11 (Sponsored by The Walt Disney Studios)
- The Letter - Made by a class of 30 young people aged 9-10 from Caedraw Primary School - Merthyr Tydfil, Wales
- Stories from the School Trees - Made by Year 3 at Wicor Primary School - Porchester, England
- The Weather - Made by Year 1 at Blanche Nevile School for Deaf Children London, England
Best Animation: 12-19 (Sponsored by The Walt Disney Studios)
- Mr X is Not a Man - Made by Noah and Yuli - Bristol, England
- Ninja Penguin - Made by Billy Pearson, aged 18 - Wolverhampton, England
- The Siege of Brest Fortress - Made by George, aged 14 - Coventry, England
Best Documentary (Sponsored by 72 Films)
- The Mari Lwyd - Made by 22 young people from Llanharan Primary School - Pontypridd, Wales
- My Mum's a Cleaner - Made by Megan, aged 16 - Edenbridge, England
- Unveiled Voices - Made by 14 young people from Working Class Film School - Manchester, England
Best Film: 5-11 (Sponsored by Pinewood and Shepperton Studios)
- Control - Made by 16 young people from the Pauline Quirke Academy - Leicester, England
- One Moment - Made by 9 young people aged 9-11 from Beam County Primary School - Dagenham, London
- Paper Planes - Made by Jude (aged 9) and Fletcher (aged 11) - Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England
Best Film: 12-15 (Sponsored by Warner Bros. Discovery)
- Dog Days - The Final Whistle - Made by 23 young people from 8SUS at St. Colmcille's High School - Crossgar, Northern Ireland
- Fairy Fails - Made by 18 young people between the ages of 11-13 (with support from three 14-year-old club leaders) from Sawston Village College Cambridge, England
- Snapped Strings - Made by 15 young people from Willows High School - Cardiff, Wales
Best Film: 16-19 (Sponsored by Paramount)
- 900 Feet Up - Made by 25 young people, aged between 16-19, from ELATT Learning Community - London, England
- Vampires Prefer Classical - Made by Nora Campbell, aged 18, from Dominican College - Belfast, Northern Ireland
- What's in a Bowl? - Made by six young people working with Screen Education Edinburgh and BFI Academy - Edinburgh, Scotland
Innovation in Filmmaking (Sponsored by Lucasfilm Ltd.)
- Blank Space - Made by Peter, aged 15 - Liphook, England
- Give It Up - Made by Alexander Bigaliy (aged 18) and Arseniy (aged 14) - Guildford, England
- Uncountable, Unthinkable, Full of Life - Made by Ezekiel Vincent (aged 19) - Crediton, England
Time for Action (Sponsored by Swatch)
- Navigating the Net - Made by 36 children from years 1-6 at St. Luke's Primary School - Northampton, England
- SENDing Voices - Made by SENDing Voices, working with My Pockets - Sheffield, England
- Seven Minutes - Made by Venice Lyn-Kew, aged 18 - Wolverhampton, England
Best Story (Sponsored by Amazon MGM Studios)
Nominees in this category were selected from among all of the films submitted to this year's Into Film Awards, across all categories
- Flashing Life - Made by Gabriel with Highlands BFI Academy - Inverness, Scotland
- Lost Youth - Made by Anna, with Eva, Vlad, and Platon - Bradford-on-Avon, England
- Toxic Touch vs Fresh Air - Made by Ayomidipupo and Filip (both aged 9) from Holbeach Primary school Chatham, England
Audience Choice Award (Sponsored by Universal Pictures)
The Audience Choice Award is your chance to personally support your favourite young filmmakers from our amazing nominees in the filmmaking categories. Watch all of the films, and then take to our social media channels to cast your votes and help decide the winner of the coveted 2026 Audience Choice Award!
- Voting opens across our social channels on Wednesday 29 April.
Best Film Review (Sponsored by IMDb)
Frankenstein (2025), by Oliver, aged 16 - Ampthill, England
Fanatics of Guillermo del Toro's visually arresting style and unsettlingly beautiful cinematography will certainly be pleased with his most recent film, Frankenstein. I, however, was not.
While the film maintains his standing as a superlative visual stylist, its over-commercialised core and infidelity to Shelley's novel made it unenjoyable for me.
Del Toro's creative liberties, such as making the creature fling people across the room in an animalistic rage, rather than strangling them with his hands (as depicted in the novel), were noticeable. Strangling is less explicitly violent, and using his hands gives the monster a greater sense of humanity than del Toro's film does, perhaps in an attempt to add unnecessary shock value that instead leaves the spectator's feet cold.
Del Toro's constant glorification of Frankenstein, filming him in low angled shots with lowkey, alluring lighting, promotes the idea that a viewer is supposed to be enticed by Frankenstein and what he does which completely disregards the entire idea of the story. Frankenstein in fact is the monster not his creation but the image we receive of Victor promotes a romanticised ideal that makes the film not a warning about hubris, control, and the pursuit of knowledge greater than oneself, but rather an entirely Gothic-but-only-to-be-cool world, where Frankenstein's pursuits are justified and glamorised.
This being said, the film does have its positives: del Toro's decision to give agency to Elizabeth, making her well-rounded, and adding complexity to her relationship with Frankenstein, introduces a feminist flair that makes her enjoyable to watch. Elordi's performance and costume as Frankenstein's monster were also commendable: his make-up designs were sickly, yet mesmerising, wonderfully mimicking Frankenstein's feelings about him, and Elordi's nuanced acting allows us to easily sympathise with the creature.
So, while the film does have its positives mainly to do with its jaw-dropping mise en scene and cinematography it is clear that del Toro's Frankenstein, is, at its core, Netflix's attempt at a commercial Oscar-winner.
No Country for Old Men (2007), by Hailey, aged 17 - Hertford, England
Set in 1980 Texas, No Country for Old Men subverts the typical "cat and mouse" thriller. Deviating from standard action tropes and emotional backstories, the film presents a bleak portrayal of fate through the intersection of Moss, Sheriff Bell, and the hitman Chigurh.
Moss is a morally complex protagonist whose choices resonate with the film's realism. He's a reflection of flawed human nature. This is juxtaposed by Chigurh. When he offers Moss's wife a coin toss for her life, her refusal, "The coin don't have no say, it's just you", is met with "I got here the same way the coin did." This establishes Chigurh not merely as a killer, but rather an angel of death, a personification of the merciless nature of fate. Similarly, Sheriff Bell's final dream underscores his struggle with legacy from change in reality; he finds comfort only in his dreams, abruptly punctuated by "Then I woke up".
Visually, the film excels through intentional mise-en-scène. Contrasting lighting between harsh fluorescent, muted earth tones, and low-key lighting, it doesn't just emphasise the characters' isolation but it visually swallows them, reinforcing the idea that they are helpless against the shadows of an unpredictable world. Small visual choices, like the wide shot of Moss's silhouette curled up beneath the Mexicans who stood tall, highlight his vulnerability and Chigurh's props (e.g. the cattle gun) suggests he views his victims as nothing more than cattle.
The film is intentionally frustrating, lacking the hero versus villain "showdown" with a nihilistic view can seem heavy and feel unsatisfying to those seeking closure. While the film's complexity and lack of catharsis may take time to process, its blend of writing and cinematography creates a masterpiece. It portrays a world that has grown too violent and random for those who thought they understood it.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (2024), by Anthony, aged 12, from Leaways School - London, England
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 directed by Jeff Fowler, is a fun, fast-paced film that also has a deeper message about family. While it is full of action and comedy, what stood out to me most was how the film made me think about the people around me and how important they are.
The film shows that family is not just about who you are related to, but about who stands by you when things get tough. Sonic's friends stuck by him when he made mistakes, and that reminded me that I should appreciate my own friends and how they stand by me. It also made me think about how we should try to be kind to people, even when we are unsure about them, because kindness can make a difference to people coming out of their shell.
One of the best things about the Sonic 3 is the humour. The jokes are constant, and Sonic has banter! Sonic is a likeable protagonist who brings a lot of personality and heart to the story, which makes the film enjoyable for audiences of all ages.
At times the film can feel a bit busy, with a lot happening very quickly. Some scenes move so fast that there is not much time to fully take everything in, but that does not ruin the overall experience of the film. It actually makes it more realistic if anything!
Overall, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is an entertaining film with a strong message. It is funny, exciting, and meaningful and reminds us to value family and kindness!
Filmmaking Champions (Sponsored by Working Title Films)
Each of those detailed below have been selected as Filmmaking Champions at this year's Awards. Find out more about them below.
- Ash Williams from Burnham Market Primary School - Norfolk, England
Working across rural north and west Norfolk over the past 15 years, Ash creates meaningful filmmaking opportunities for young people through curriculum-based learning and volunteer projects, all in an area that faces significant challenges linked to rural deprivation and geographic isolation.
As Senior Teacher at Burnham Market Primary School, Ash has worked to place filmmaking at the very heart of the school's ethos. Every class has regular opportunities to create and share their own films, not just within the classroom, but at school celebrations and on public platforms. He has overseen a culture change at the whole school and ensured a long-term legacy, leading staff training sessions to show colleagues how film can transform learning across the curriculum, and bringing in media experts to enhance learning. The school is now even developing a permanent film studio space.
Through embedding filmmaking across the curriculum in his school, as well as acting as Director of the Fakenham Film Festival, Ash is actively broadening horizons and showcasing the wide range of roles within the screen industries, raising aspirations for hundreds of young people in an area with limited access to cultural institutions.
- Ben Gregory from Yr Orsaf / Dyffryn Nantlle 2020 - Penygroes, Wales
Ben's film club works with young people who live in Dyffryn Nantlle, a rural area in northwest Wales where people face challenges with a lack of resources and creative opportunities in the Welsh language.
His relentless work to secure sustainable opportunities for young people is impressive. Since starting the club in 2013, Ben has helped run sessions to produce 18 films while working with over a hundred young people. The resulting films have been nominated and won awards at Pics Film Festival in Caernarfon, Zoom Cymru in South Wales, and the Into Film Awards. Over a decade of activity, he has made sure that there is a long-term platform for young people of the area to come together and create films in the Welsh Language, while also running clubs with all-female groups, in an effort to push more girls towards filmmaking.
Young people from the first group that Ben worked with over a decade ago have since gone on to achieve jobs in media, film and TV, and have credited the film club as the place that ignited their passion for the arts. They have also begun mentoring the next generation, ensuring that Ben's work has a lasting legacy.
- Sophie Barnard and Will Davies from The Bright Foundation - Hastings, England
The Bright Foundation is an arts education charity founded by Academy and BAFTA Award winning costume designer, John Bright. Will is the Film Programme Learning Leader, and Sophie is the Foundation's Producer. They work in-and-around Hastings and East Sussex, and focus on programmes for disadvantaged children and young people, such as those in receipt of free school meals; neurodiverse young people; those with special educational needs, or those in case or at risk of school refusal.
At the Foundation's Benbow Arts Space (a youth arts centre dedicated to the art of filmmaking), Will and Sophie have engaged over 500 children and young people. They have built a warm and welcoming atmosphere and with passion, good humour and a can-do attitude they work tirelessly to allow individuals to grow and develop: finding their creative voices; learning new skills both on the technical side of filmmaking and the creative development; building their confidence; understanding the industry and career pathways; and most importantly, having fun!
Their unwavering commitment to young people and their ambition to give them the most amazing creative learning experiences possible makes them an invaluable part of their community.
Ones to Watch (Sponsored by EON Productions)
Each of those detailed below have been selected as a Ones to Watch at this year's Awards. Find out more about them below.
- Araminta, aged 17 - Conwy, Wales
Araminta has a love of film so strong that she claims the only way to possibly satisfy it is to make films of her own. She started making films at 16, filming highlight reels for her church. She made her first film with her best friends (Beware The Zoomies) and her love of film snowballed from there.
With a strong work-ethic, Araminta has worked part-time with her dad at his production company Rocketland Ltd since the age of 14, where she has practised everything from scriptwriting, to setting-up gear, holding the camera, focus pulling, and even handled some projects from start to finish, working with clients.
Araminta's drive is clear: instead of finding a part time job to pay for college, she asked around and got a remote job editing social media reels for a family friend, which paid for her expenses every month. She's also found work doing photoshoots and filming weddings and concerts.
To Araminta, any career path is pointless unless there's a way it can bring some good to the world evidenced by her film Tipping Point winning the Time For Action category at the Into Film Awards 2025. Araminta is very determined when it comes to following her dreams, and has plans to use the art of film to make our world a better place. We'd say she's well on her way.
- Noah Berridge, aged 19 - Bristol, England
Noah is an extraordinary young filmmaker whose work has already reached millions, won international awards, and demonstrated a maturity far beyond his age. He has been making films since he was 11 years old, and has created over 30 short films, organically amassing over 2 million views on YouTube and growing an audience of 18,000 subscribers.
He was accepted into the BFI Film Academy, and earlier this year, was selected from 300+ applicants to direct a film at the NFTS Academy, in partnership with Disney. He worked over two weeks with a team of young creatives to tell a story about a transgender experience. The film was screened at the Curzon cinema in Soho.
Noah has also very recently been accepted into the NFTS Creator Incubator - selected for one of 12 scholarship places fully paid for by YouTube, fending off competition from adults much further into their filmmaking careers.
Noah is fully committed to filmmaking; it's what he wants to dedicate his life to. His dream is to have a career 'creating films that have an impact and use the power of storytelling to create positive change.' The remarkable quality of his films, from such a young age, along with his work ethic, ever-growing passion for filmmaking, and high ambitions, make Noah a clear One to Watch.
- Rosie, aged 17, from Varndean College - Brighton, England
Rosie is notable for the exceptional quality, maturity and consistency of her filmmaking, alongside clear evidence of national and international recognition for her work.
Through her filmmaking, Rosie has demonstrated a strong authorial voice and an ability to handle complex themes with sensitivity and clarity. Her short film The Freedom of the Sea achieved significant success, both internationally and at home, including Best Documentary at the Into Film Awards 2025.
She has continued to build on this success with subsequent work, which has been submitted and considered to numerous film festivals and competitions. This sustained recognition across youth and professional-facing festivals marks her out as an emerging filmmaker with genuine momentum.
Rosie's ability to combine strong visual storytelling with emotional intelligence leads to films that are thoughtful, purposeful and audience-aware. Her work shows a clear progression in confidence and ambition, and her showreel demonstrates versatility across form and subject matter.
Rosie aspires to continue developing as a filmmaker beyond education, building a portfolio that engages with real-world issues and meaningful storytelling. Her achievements to date, combined with her commitment to growth and creative risk-taking, mark her out as a young filmmaker with significant future potential and a clear trajectory within the industry.
As always, we'd like to extend a huge thank you to all of the incredible organisations that sponsor the Into Film Awards, without whom this life-changing event would not be possible. Find out more about this year's sponsors below.
Watch the nominated films below...
The Letter
Made by Year 5 at Caedraw Primary School - Merthyr Tydfil, Wales
This striking monochrome animation is a follow-up to a previously nominated film, and sees Cae the Bear - now much older - feeling lonely since his son has left home. Deciding to reach out, he writes him a letter, but when it comes to posting it, that simple act turns into a bigger ordeal than he could ever have imagined.
Stories from the School Trees
Made by Year 3 at Wicor Primary School - Porchester, England
This mood-piece about the magic of leaves is made up of a series of short stop-motion vignettes, which use leaves and other flora from the school grounds (plus a few well-placed googly eyes!) to create whimsical scenes that put nature at the fore, in both form and function.
The Weather
Made by Year 1 at Blanche Nevile School for Deaf Children London, England
The Year 1 pupils at Blanche Nevile School had been learning about the weather, and decided to put everything they'd learnt into this short animation - which is bad news for the girl in their film, who has to endure the classic British ‘four seasons in a day'!
Mr X is Not a Man
Made by Noah and Yuli, aged 16 - Bristol, England
This gorgeous, impressionistic and ethereal animation sees a disaffected office worker heading out into the night in search of a more spiritual existence.
Ninja Penguin
Made by Billy Pearson, aged 18 Wolverhampton, England
In the style of a classic Saturday morning cartoon, this zany dialogue-free animation sees the titular penguin set out on a quest to find a fabled fish to eat - but there's a whole castle full of bad guys standing in his way!
The Siege of Brest Fortress
Made by George Emmerson, aged TBC - Coventry, England
A lesser-known moment from the Eastern Front of World War II is given a dramatic recreation in this remarkable stop-motion animation that manages to pull off a full-scale World War II epic in just 5 minutes - and using only LEGO!
The Mari Lwyd
Made by 22 young people from Llanharan Primary School - Pontypridd, Wales
This fun documentary tells the tale of the the Mari Lwyd, a unique and spooky Christmas tradition in Wales centred around a not-so-festive sounding character with a horse's skull for a head who travels door to door to challenge households to a sing-off!
My Mum's a Cleaner
Made by Megan, aged 16 - Edenbridge, England
This frank and brave documentary sees a daughter interviewing her own mother about her job as a cleaner, hoping to challenge the stereotypes and stigma associated with the lower classes and what are often seen as ‘lesser' jobs.
Unveiled Voices
Made by 14 young people from Working Class Film School - Manchester, England
This documentary explores what being brown and female means to a group of young Muslims from Oldham. Interviews with group and community members explore 'brown' as something not only linked to colour or ethnicity, while also challenging gender expectations that determine what women can and can't do.
Control
Made by 16 young people from the Pauline Quirke Academy - Leicester, England
When two girls discover an old video game controller with magical powers, all sorts of mischief ensues… but they're not the controller's first owners, and they may soon be in for a taste of their own medicine!
One Moment
Made by 9 young people aged 9-11 from Beam County Primary School - Dagenham, London
Amari is a disruptive and disinterested pupil, but when a mystical transformation sees him step into the shoes of a grown-up, he's faced with a moment of self-reflection that could change the course of his young life.
Paper Planes
Made by Jude (aged 9) and Fletcher (aged 11) - Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England
This coming-of-age drama about childhood struggles and finding yourself sees young Sebastian finding growing up difficult… until he meets a cool kid at a local art gallery and learns about life, friendship and making paper planes as they explore the Northumberland coast before making a surprising discovery.
Dog Days - The Final Whistle
Made by 23 young people from 8SUS at St. Colmcille's High School - Crossgar, Northern Ireland
This heart-warming sports comedy sees a young lad distraught when he learns his dog is sick and requires a very expensive medicine. So when the annual long-kick competition returns with a £10,000 prize it seems his prayers are answered if only he can find it within himself to score the decisive kick.
Fairy Fails
Made by 18 young people between the ages of 11-13 (with support from three 14-year-old club leaders) from Sawston Village College - Cambridge, England
Is it time some traditional fairy tales were updated? This dazzling mixed-media film - which makes great use of greenscreen, costumes, puppets, and more - tries to imagine a different slant on some familiar classics. Big Blue Riding Hood, anyone?
Snapped Strings
Made by 15 young people from Willows High School - Cardiff, Wales
After the passing of his mother, 15-year-old Tom struggles to live with his now-distant father. Bullied and lonely, his only refuge comes from composing music, and time spent with his boyfriend. Can his snapped string of a life ever be repaired? This beautifully affecting drama weaves in themes of grief, LGBT+ acceptance, and the power of music to channel emotions and connect us.
900 Feet Up
Made by 25 young people, aged between 16-19, from ELATT Learning Community - London, England
After losing interest on a school trip, two neurodivergent best friends drift off and find themselves stepping into the past, where they meet A.V. Roe, the pilot of the Britain's first ever successful triplane flight! Will getting a first-hand view of the wonders of flight kickstart their imaginations?
Vampires Prefer Classical
Made by Nora Campbell, aged 18, from Dominican College - Belfast, Northern Ireland
In this fantasy comedy that's as chaotic as it is hilarious, a girl is told by a kooky wizard that she has been chosen to summon an enchanted electric guitar and must use it to defeat an evil vampire (with vampires preferring classical, naturally). Can the power of rock music triumph over the forces of darkness?
What's in a Bowl?
Made by six young people working with Screen Education Edinburgh and BFI Academy - Edinburgh, Scotland
This resonant short film follows a young Chinese immigrant living in Edinburgh who is struggling with homesickness and feelings of belonging. With his beloved late grandmother's words and memories still alive in his mind, he sets out to recreate her classic noodle dish in the hopes of rekindling his sense of home.
Blank Space
Made by Peter, aged 15 - Liphook, England
Utilising a number of clever techniques and visual effects, this creative short film sees a disheartened young pianist retreating into the woods, only to discover a strange patch of land that seemingly disappears objects into a mysterious void beyond reality.
Give It Up
Made by Alexander Bigaliy (aged 18) and Arseniy (aged 14) - Guildford, England
Vividly blending live action footage with LEGO stop motion, and black and white with colour, this is a cinematic tour-de-force that eschews traditional narrative to tap into existentialism, surrealism, and classic German expressionism, with a Kafkaesque nightmare of a man trying to escape a liminal city that exists outside of time and space.
Uncountable, Unthinkable and Full of Life
Made by Ezekiel Vincent, aged 19 - Crediton, England
Made with Blender 3D, this dazzling short animation follows an artist struggling for inspiration, only to find herself falling into her very own blank page and whisked away on a phantasmagorical journey that reignites her imagination.
SENDing Voices
Made by SENDing Voices working with My Pockets - Sheffield, England
This delightfully animated film was made by a group of young people with SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) who meet regularly as part of an action group called ‘SENDing Voices'. Their film sees five members of the group explaining various experiences they've had both positive and negative and reminds the audience of the difficulties that young people with SEND have on a daily basis. The film's upbeat message clearly outlines the ways that with additional support and simple considerations, all of us can help ease those difficulties.
Seven Minutes
Made by Venice Lyn-Kew, aged 18 - Wolverhampton, England
This film takes a fascinating approach to the sobering subject of teenage mental health and suicide, exploring the idea of one's life ‘flashing before your eyes' in your final moments as memories replay. Taking us on a journey through the different parts of the brain, from hippocampus to the pre-frontal cortex, the film cleverly shows the way even the smallest memories are proof of a life still unfolding and worth holding on to, taking a creative approach to the simple truth that help is always within reach, and that every story deserves the chance to continue.
Lost Youth
Made by Anna, with Eva, Vlad, and Platon Bradford-on-Avon, England
This film, made by a Ukrainian refugee, honours the memory of Anastasia Porokhnya, a 17-year-old girl who was killed by a Russian cluster munitions in her backyard in 2022. Through the film, Anna channels her own journey and gives voice to the pain, resilience and loss that young people like her carry. With an ambitious and striking extended conversation filmed in one shot as the centrepiece, this film is a testimony to what many refugees have lived through and a tribute to those lost along the way.
Flashing Life
Made by Gabriel with Highlands BFI Academy - Inverness, Scotland
With a truly unique vision, this slice of gentle surrealism follows the life of a lonely man who happens to have a traffic light for a head, as he searches for meaning in life.
Toxic Touch vs Fresh Air
Made by Ayomidipupo and Filip (both aged 9) from Holbeach Primary school - Chatham, England
This charmingly hand-made animation, inspired by the Dog Man books and DC superhero comics, sees a selfish kid being transformed into the nefarious Toxic Touch and going on a rampage at a local fair. Can noble superhero Fresh Air save the day and teach him that selfishness doesn't pay?
