Climate action films produced by young people from across Scotland were recently commended at an online event, with six of the films being awarded a Special Commendation for exceptional elements.
The films were produced as part of the Youth Climate Film Project, an initiative delivered by Keep Scotland Beautiful with funding from the Scottish Government and The National Lottery through Screen Scotland.
The Youth Climate Film Project provided free film-making training to 83 youth workers, who in turn supported young people to produce and show 90-second films, exploring how they feel about the climate emergency and what action can be taken.
The films are available to view via the Youth Climate Film Project webpage and are also featured in the Take One Action Film Directory.
The films were celebrated at the recent 1.5°c Youth Climate Film Awards with all the young people and youth workers involved being commended for their creative and inspiring work.
Six of the films were awarded a special commendation from Keep Scotland Beautiful, Screen Scotland and Take One Action for containing exceptional elements:
- Our Hopes for Our Future, produced by the youth section of Time For Change, Argyll and Bute - Special Commendation for facilitating an intergenerational dialogue on the climate emergency.
- Fast Fashion Fiasco, produced by a young person from West of Scotland Regional Equality Council, Glasgow - Special Commendation for a clear call to action, and for being made entirely from home.
- Time for Change, produced by young people from Everything Electronics Youth Club, Tarland - Special Commendation for outstanding animation and music.
- Tin-Kind: A Consumption Awareness Film, produced by young people from Carsaig Films, Tayvallich - Special Commendation for its innovative approach and cinematographic quality, and its playful nod to cinema history.
- Save the mussels! Produced by young people from Cromar Future Group, Tarland - Special Commendation for its gentle humour and animated spirit.
- 3 Climate Actions, produced by young people from Isaro Community Initiative, Clydebank - Special Commendation for its focus on accessibility through the use of multi-lingual captions and on young people's sense of agency.
2021 is an extremely important year for action on climate change and the eyes of the world will be on Scotland as Glasgow is getting ready to host the prestigious UN COP26 climate conference in November.
Barry Fisher, Chief Executive of Keep Scotland Beautiful said: “Young people in Scotland and across the world have played a significant role in highlighting the climate emergency and in pushing for action, but many young people still don’t have a voice on one of the biggest challenges their generation will face.
“That’s why we’ve been delighted to deliver the Youth Climate Film Project and empower young people across Scotland with the opportunity to screen their views on the climate emergency and stimulate discussion about climate change. We congratulate all the young people involved for their enthusiasm and creativity in using film as a platform to express their thoughts, concerns and hopes for our climate and environment”.
Scott Donaldson, Head of Film Education at Screen Scotland said: “It’s been fantastic to see how the film-making skills developed by youth workers have been passed to young people who have produced such a rich range of films to share their hopes and actions on climate change, and those of their communities. Engaging the people of Scotland in the climate emergency and how we tackle it is vitally important and urgent. Film can play a powerful and influential role in this, and the participants in this project now have the skills to use film to ask questions, share their ideas and encourage positive change.”
Tamara Van Strijthem, Executive Director of Take One Action said: "We believe that film is one of the most powerful media to help us make sense of our world. We welcome the opportunity the Youth Climate Film Project has provided for young people to explore their hopes around climate action – and our shared role in bringing about a fairer and more sustainable world.”
All the films are available to view via the Youth Climate Film Project webpage here.
Background
The Youth Climate Film Project is an initiative delivered by Keep Scotland Beautiful with funding from the Scottish Government and The National Lottery through Screen Scotland. It has involved youth workers attending free online film-making training to give them the skills to support young people to create short films that explore the climate emergency from a young person’s perspective.
All the films are available to view via the Youth Climate Film Project webpage. Further details at www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/youthclimatefilmproject
Keep Scotland Beautiful is the charity that campaigns, acts and educates on a range of local, national and global environmental issues to change behaviour and improve the quality of people’s lives and the places they care for. Keep Scotland Beautiful is committed to making Scotland clean, green and sustainable. Further details at www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org
Keep Scotland Beautiful offers a portfolio of Climate Emergency Training to support organisations, businesses, communities and young people understand the climate emergency and respond to the risks, opportunities and responsibilities ahead. Further details at www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/climatechange
Screen Scotland is the dedicated partnership for screen in Scotland, delivering enhanced support for all aspects of Scotland's screen sector. Screen Scotland sits within Creative Scotland and is a partnership with Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Skills Development Scotland, Scottish Funding Council, with funding from the Scottish Government and the National Lottery.
Established in 2008, Take One Action are an Edinburgh-based, independent charity founded by film lovers, cultural activists and globally concerned citizens who believe that shared cinematic experience can catalyse lasting change. Further details at https://www.takeoneaction.org.uk/
Keep Scotland Beautiful is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO): Number SC030332.
Keep Scotland Beautiful supports the ambitions of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, or Global Goals.
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