‘Lights, camera, rubbish’ for student film festival

TRANSITION year students from across Carlow embraced their inner Hollywood at the Rubbish Film Festival awards at Visual last week. The film festival centres around celebrating the environmental awareness and creativity of TY students from across the county.

In total, nine Carlow schools participated in the festival, where groups of 12 TY students from each of the schools produced a short film and a poster exploring the issues of waste and sustainability, while linking the United Nations sustainable development goals to the relevant themes in their films.

Knockbeg College scooped the festival’s main award for best film, with Presentation de la Salle College in Bagenalstown named as best runners-up.

St Mary’s CBS won the award for the most impactful film, while St Leo’s College came away with the award for best poster.

Knockbeg and St Leo’s will go on to represent Carlow at a national awards ceremony in April.

The Rubbish Film Festival is powered by Create Schools, an organisation that focuses on developing communication and media production skills in students through different workshops and initiatives. Dave Sheehan from Create Schools, who worked directly with the students, said they showed “remarkable creativity and ownership in telling powerful environmental stories”.

Each of the award winners received Rubbish Film Festival t-shirts, sponsored by JD Sports, and also a mystery clothing gift pack from Change Clothes that were provided by Carlow Co Council.

“The quality of work was exceptional and showed how effectively young people can link local action with global sustainability goals,” said Carlow Co Council environmental awareness officer Dee Sewell.

The event was funded by the county council and the national anti-litter and dumping grant.