'Cae the Bear' wins Best Animation - 5-11

Congratulations to children from Caedraw Primary School in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, whose film Cae yr Arth (Cae the Bear) has won Best Animation - 5-11 (sponsored by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, UK) at the 2025 Into Film Awards. The award was presented by Callum Scott-Howells and Geri Horner-Halliwell.

In Cae the Bear, feeling disillusioned by life in a bustling city, a kindly bear stumbles upon a rare piece of nature, and decides to try and help it flourish. But despite his best efforts, the big city may not be the right environment...

The animation began as a way to raise funds and awareness for Caedraw Primary's Forest School sessions. As Caedraw Primary sits in the heart of a busy with very little greenery, classes take a weekly walk into a nearby forest, giving the children a chance to reconnect with nature. This activity inspired the story and theme of their winning film.

Named after the school, Cae the Bear has long been Caedraw Primary's mascot, and it's a long-standing tradition that each child receives a Cae teddy bear when they leave after Year 6.

The film is soundtracked by the song Hoppípolla by Icelandic band Sigur Rós. The school reached out to the band to ask if they could use the song, and were overjoyed when they were granted permission to use the iconic piece.

The class worked together to write the film's story, inspired by both their own Forest Sessions (Cae's journey from city to forest mirrors their own journey each week) and the John Lewis Christmas adverts that appear on television every December, having been struck by how powerfully they conveyed emotion without using any spoken dialogue. The idea was to encourage others to get outdoors, and to help parents, governors, and the wider school community see the value of outdoor learning.

Each child storyboarded a scene, carefully planning how to bring the animation to life; some thrived in designing and making the puppets, while others built the sets, creating both the city and mountain landscapes. Everyone took turns animating.

To refine their work, the children acted out scenes, studying their own movements and expressions to make the animation feel natural.

Throughout the filmmaking process, the children developed creativity, patience, and teamwork - skills that will stay with them far beyond this project. They have also gained a deeper appreciation for the art of stop motion animation, with many now eager to watch behind-the-scenes footage of their favourite films to understand how they were made.

The children have since started making their own stop motion animations, with new creations appearing almost every week. Their passion for storytelling has become a lasting part of their classroom, and they now have a dedicated animation station where they can bring their ideas to life whenever they choose. 

"More than anything, watching the completed film for the first time with their parents was a truly special moment", explained Scott Beale, Lead Adult on the project and HLTA at Caedraw Primary School. "Seeing their excitement and pride as their hard work came to life on screen is something I hope they will remember forever."