KATY SCOOPS PRESTIGIOUS ZOOM FILM AWARD. Seventeen year old Katy Ruffy from Dolgellau has won a prestigious Award for Best Fiction Film at the ZOOM international Young Filmmakers Awards 2008. Her film “CHUCKS” was selected out of 85 entries Wales wide for her place in the final. Katy took the award at a glamorous Awards ceremony near Cardiff on Friday night.

CHUCKS is Katy’s first short film and was produced under the FILM 15 project 2008. The unique story is set in the 1950’s in a rather dim diner/Deli. Things go from bad to worse for the owner [Chuck] when a group of menacing local youths decide to make the Diner their local hang out. What starts out as a bit of harmless taunting soon turns in to something far more sinister.

The film was made on location at the old Machynlleth Milk Bar over three days last summer and Katy drew from local acting talent Tom Jones [Borth], Scott Wilson [Barmouth], Cara Braia [Portmadog], James Lucas [Machynlleth] and fellow FILM 15 project participants for various roles in the production. 

FILM 15 Productions runs their FILM 15 project annually to help young people find their creative voice through the medium of film. The Award winning programme offers fifteen young people from Mid Wales the opportunity to study filmmaking with the organisation over six months. The participants undertake workshops, Master classes with industry professionals, technical training and are supported in the development and production of their own film ideas. The programme has been running since 2006 and has worked closely with 45 young people to make 24 short films. 

“The FILM 15 project is an amazing way to discover local talent. The project gives young people a unique opportunity to develop key filmmaking skills and really find their creative voices and talents. I am delighted Katy has been given this award for her film Chucks. The film is visually and technically outstanding.  CHUCKS shows that Katy has a wonderful natural talent for film and I am certain she is a rising star of the future. “ [Emma Macey, Director, FILM 15 Productions]

This years’ FILM 15 project was kindly funded by First Light Movies, a nation wide organisation that provides funding to enable five-nineteen year olds to make their own films. First Light Movies distributes National lottery money via the UK Film Council. Match funding for the project was granted by The Film Agency for Wales. The project workshops were based at Ysgol Bro Ddyfi on the weekend with special thanks to Nic Ros. 

For more information about CHUCKS or for applications for FILM 15 2009, please contact Emma Macey on  HYPERLINK “mailto:info@film15.org.uk” info@film15.org.uk or see more about what FILM 15 Productions have on offer at  HYPERLINK “http://www.film15.org.uk” www.film15.org.uk