Orange cats, street parties and asparagasms... SFF signs off with the 6th annual Stroud Community TV Awards

It was the sixth year of our Stroud Community TV Awards - the iconic orange cat of our logo lends it’s name to the awards - Stroud’s Oscats evening. And once again we were part of the wonderful Stroud Film Festival.

It was an evening of inspiring, thought-provoking, laughter-making, tear-jerking films with more than a dash of Stroud quirkiness. The films reached into parts that bigger movies might not - a community recorded and represented in it’s own way! A truly wonderful celebration of our Five Valleys. The audience of over 120 people got to see 40 short films or clips of films all with links to Stroud. The films included the winning films in seven categories, an opportunity to hear from local filmmakers and some of the films from the 60 Second Film Challenge.

Philip Booth, who compered the evening, commented: "In order to build community resilience and a low carbon future we need to build stronger communities. Stroud Community TV tries to support this by telling stories of our community, inspiring others to get involved and celebrating many of the wonderful things that are going on in our amazing town. I doubt anyone would have been disappointed by the many inspiring films that were about people coming together and making a difference."

Among the winners were a great film with Bishop Rachel about how social media impacts on young people (i), a film promoting Stroud District (ii), the Paganhill Street Party that won Best Community Event film (iii) and an animation urging us all to become Earth Trustees (iv).

See more about the evening including the full list of winners and nominations at: http://stroudcommunity.tv/awards-2018/

THE WINNERS

Bishop Rachel joins a few different year groups from Stroud High School to discuss the impacts of social media on their lives, and how it has affected their self esteem.

(i) Best Campaign Film - Does social media affect how we feel about ourselves?

Bishop Rachel joins different year groups from Stroud High School to discuss the impacts of social media on their lives, and how it has affected their self-esteem.

This film showcases the highlights of the Stroud District in the Undiscovered Cotswolds. It includes breathtaking landscapes of the Cotswold Hills in locations such as Uley Bury, Randwick, Cranham Woods, Slad, the Tyndale Monument and Selsley Common; sweeping views of the Severn Vale around Berkeley Castle, the Purton Hulks and Saul Marina (on the Gloucester Sharpness Canal); the bustling market towns of Painswick and Stroud (including the Stroudwater Canal); quirky festivals such as Art Couture Painswick, Randwick Wap, Stroud's SITE Arts Festival and the Stroud Fringe Festival.

(ii) Best Local film - Discover Stroud District

Commissioned by the tourism department at Stroud District Council to promote local enterprises, activities, our landscape, art, music and the creativity in the Five Valleys. Produced by award-winning local filmmaker Nick Turner and edited by Five Films.

Paganhill Community Street Party 2017 - Saturday 17th June at Archway Gardens; a community party organised by residents who are hoping this will lead to more conversations about what can happen in the neighbourhood. See more at: https://www.facebook.com/events/780905302084062/ I can't believe we missed Jacqueline Smith off teh credits - she was one of the key organisers!!

(iii) Best Community Event film - Paganhill Community Street Party 2017

Paganhill Community Street Party, Saturday 17th June 2017 at Archway Gardens. A community party organised by and for local residents who are hoping this will lead to more conversations about what can happen in the neighborhood. Special thanks to Jacqueline Smith who was one of the key organisers.

MissionLifeForce - right now, dangerous industrial activity is legally permitted, while resisting it is criminalised. But we can change this. Go to https://missionlifeforce.org to become a legal trustee of the Earth and help fund a law to protect our planet, our communities, and all those who take action as conscientious protectors.

(iv) Best Green film - Mission LifeForce – Law Is Upside Down

Started by folk in Stroud and growing rapidly. Right now dangerous industrial activity is legally permitted, while resisting it is criminalised. #MissionLifeForce campaigns to fund a law to protect our planet, our communities and all those who take action as conscientious protectors.