Into Film Awards

After a virtual ceremony in 2020 and a brief hiatus in 2021 due to Covid-19 restrictions, we are incredibly excited to reveal that the Into Film Awards will be returning in full force for 2022 and that submissions are now open!

The Into Film Awards is the best place to showcase young filmmaking talent, with categories designed to highlight the large pool of young creatives in the UK. Setting out to discover and honour the most talented filmmakers, reviewers, Into Film Clubs and educators, we encourage children and young people aged 5-19 from all backgrounds and with all abilities to get involved. The Into Film Awards is also designed to be a lot of fun, with famous faces and incredible talent from across the film industry on hand to present the Awards.

The deadline for entries is 31 March 2022 and the ceremony for all nominees will be held at the ODEON Luxe Leicester Square in London on 28 June 2022.

To enter the Awards, you'll need to be logged in to your Into Film Account. If you don't have an Account, it only takes a second to set one up!

Please note - you must be aged 20 or over to submit an entry to the Into Film Awards. If you are aged 19 or under, please ask a parent, guardian, educator, or other adult to submit your entry.

Remember - even after completing a submission, you will still be able to return to your entry and edit it up until the Into Film Awards deadline of Thursday 31 March 2022.

Below, check out all the categories and the entry criteria for each one. Meanwhile, head to our 2022 Awards announcement article for a curated selection of filmmaking resources that can get you started on making your future award winning film.

Jump to...

• Into Film Award Categories
• Entry Criteria - Filmmaking
• Entry Criteria - Changes for a Better World
• Entry Criteria - Into Film Club of the Year
• Entry Criteria - Teacher of the Year
• Entry Criteria - Ones to Watch

Into Film Award Categories

• Best Film - 11 and Under
• Best Film 12-15
• Best Film 16-19
• Best Animation 11 and Under
• Best Animation 12 and Over
• Changes for a Better World
• Into Film Club of the Year
• Teacher of the Year
• Review of the Year
• Ones to Watch
• Audience Choice

Entry Criteria - Filmmaking

Representatives from Into Film will select three young people/groups of young people in this category who demonstrate exceptional promise and potential in filmmaking.

• Your film can be about anything you want, and will be judged on the following areas:
• Idea (the film idea is original and creative and has been delivered well)
• Story (the story is strong and engaging and captures the audience's attention)
• Sound (the music, sound effects and dialogue are clear and strengthen the narrative)
• Look (the use of camera angles, movement, lighting and framing support the narrative
• Technical ability on display

In order to be shortlisted for the judges' consideration, entrants must meet the following criteria:

• Filmmakers must be aged between 5 and 19 years at the time of submitting
• The film should be no longer than 10 minutes in duration, including title and credits
• Any music, images and video content from a third party must be cleared for use by the copyright holder. We suggest only using free library music that can be easily sourced online.
• No surnames of young people aged 18 or under should be used in the film, including the credits

All young people aged 18 and under who have been involved in the making of the film must have a signed consent form. If your film is shortlisted, you may be asked to provide copies of consent forms.

Entry Criteria - Changes for a Better World

The Changes for a Better World category asks young people to consider the environmental crisis, and to look ahead to the future and imagine the changes they want to see and create, whether big or small, personal or society wide.

We've all had a long time to take stock of what really matters recently, and now is the perfect moment to capture those hopes, dreams, thoughts and ideas on film.

While the environmental crisis is a major theme of this category, young people are also welcome to engage with other social actions or themes that are important to them and that could see a change for a better world.

In order to be shortlisted for the judges' consideration, entrants must meet the following criteria:

• Filmmakers must be aged between 5 and 19 years at the time of submitting
• The film should be no longer than 10 minutes in duration, including title and credits
• Any music, images and video content from a third party must be cleared for use by the copyright holder. We suggest only using free library music that can be easily sourced online.
• No surnames of young people aged 18 or under should be used in the film, including the credits

All young people aged 18 and under who have been involved in the making of the film must have a signed consent form. If your film is shortlisted, you may be asked to provide copies of consent forms.

Entry Criteria - Into Film Club of the Year

When considering submissions for Into Film Club of the Year, judges will consider the extent to which entries meet one of more of the following:

• The club successfully integrates watching, making and understanding of film
• The club makes interesting film viewing choices to aid learning through film
• The club has regular and consistent membership
• The club has regular film reviewers
• The club makes a difference to the lives of members (including young people with disabilities, behavioural issues, poor attendance or engagement with learning)
• The club is delivered successfully in an otherwise challenging setting.

Please try to include these details as you progress with your entry.

Entry Criteria - Teacher of the Year

Judges will consider the following criteria to make their selection:

• The nominated educator has used film to excite pupils and engage them in learning
• The nominated educator has used filmmaking as a tool for enhancing the learning experience of young people
• The approach taken has made a positive impact, perhaps delivering innovative thinking or real change, providing constant support and/or improving results
• If you are able to include an example of your work which demonstrates the inspirational activities undertaken, this will be helpful to the judges.

If nominating yourself, please submit any use of lesson plans or a list of Into Film resources used and how they provided guidance.

Entry Criteria - Ones to Watch

Representatives from Into Film will select three young people in this category who demonstrate exceptional promise and potential in one of the following areas:

• Film Reviewing
• Festival programming
• Film reporting
• Directing
• Scriptwriting
• Camera
• Editing
• Other Criteria

You will be given the opportunity to provide documents or web links to evidence the above and support your nomination.

• To be nominated, the young person in question must be aged 13-19 years of age and reside in the UK
• Nominations can be made by any adult on behalf of a young person aged 13 or over (with the consent of a parent or guardian to support the nomination).

Head over to the 2020 Into Film Awards winners article to watch our full virtual ceremony with host David Walliams. Meanwhile, the below highlights video for the 2019 Awards gives a better sense of what our usual London ceremony looks like.