Pupils earned three major awards for their short film “Chalk, Dust and Blood”
Pupils at The Flagship School have achieved outstanding success at the Children’s International Film Festival, earning three major awards for their short film “Chalk, Dust and Blood”, created through an immersive film-making project in partnership with The Bright Foundation.
The film, written, produced, and performed entirely by pupils, was developed over a four-week intensive programme led by Wahida Mohamed, Lead Teacher at The Flagship School, alongside Bright Foundation creatives Sophie Barnard, Will Davis and Alice Denny. The project gave pupils full ownership of the creative process, from initial storyboarding and scriptwriting through to prop-making, costume design, filming and original sound production.
The final film reimagines a classic story through the pupils’ own perspectives, showcasing their creativity, imagination and ability to work as a production team.
Watch a 6-minute presentation of the project and pupils’ work below:
A day of film-making, creativity and collaboration
At the festival, held at the White Rock Theatre in Hastings, pupils joined hundreds of young filmmakers from schools across the UK and internationally, including Germany, Taiwan, the United States and Australia. The event was supported by leading cultural and creative organisations including BAFTA, The British Museum and Into Film, and featured workshops, screenings and a formal awards ceremony.
During the morning, pupils took part in a series of immersive workshops led by industry professionals, including a recreation of a scene from the Battle of Hastings led by George Young, Founding Director of the Children’s International Film Festival. They also explored foley sound production, learning how everyday sounds are recreated in studio environments to bring on-screen action to life.
These hands-on experiences gave students the opportunity to engage directly with professional film practice, building confidence, communication skills and creative expression.
Recognition on an international stage
In the afternoon, students joined hundreds of children from local primary schools at the awards ceremony held in Hastings. The event included talks from a curator at The British Museum and Helena Dollimore MP, who spoke about the upcoming display of the Bayeux Tapestry at the British Museum this autumn, connecting students’ learning to a major cultural moment.
The ceremony celebrated outstanding achievement across a wide range of categories, with The Flagship School receiving four nominations out of 600 entries – more than any other school. Categories included Shot of the Year, Performance of the Year, Bright Film of the Year and Star of the Year.
The school was delighted to receive three awards:
- Performance of the Year – Curtis Painter
- Star of the Year – Logan Fuller
- Bright Film of the Year
These awards reflect the talent, dedication and creativity demonstrated by pupils throughout the project. We are particularly proud that The Flagship School received more nominations than any other school at the festival, recognising the strength and originality of the pupils’ work.
Global reach and future opportunities
Following the festival, pupils were informed that all films would be screened as part of the KIDS FIRST! Film Festival, the largest children’s film festival in the United States. The festival provides a global platform for young filmmakers, with screenings across more than 30 partner venues worldwide, including established festivals such as the Tallgrass Film Festival, Phoenix Film Festival and Atlanta Children’s Film Festival.
This global exposure offers pupils a unique opportunity to see their work shared with audiences across the world, further extending the impact of their creative achievements.
Wider impact
Beyond the awards, staff reported a significant impact on pupils’ confidence, communication and teamwork. Through workshops and hands-on production experience, pupils strengthened their literacy and oracy skills, built self-esteem, and developed a strong sense of collaboration and shared achievement.
Beyond the accolades, staff report a profound impact on participating pupils. Through half-day workshops and a full-day on-set experience, pupils strengthened their literacy and oracy, built confidence and self-esteem, and developed strong teamwork skills.
Speaking about the experience, Elizabeth Als, Head of Communications & Events at The Bright Foundation, reflected on the wider impact of the programme:
“Giving them the opportunity to step onto a stage and be recognised for their potential is extraordinary. Spending hours with unfamiliar people, supporting others, showing patience, and celebrating everyone else's success is an achievement in itself.
It opens their eyes to the many different careers and opportunities within filmmaking and beyond. Most importantly, days like this broaden their horizons and connect them with the wider community. They are seen not through the usual label of 'students with social, emotional and mental health difficulties', but simply as young people with talent and potential. That is huge.”
In-school celebration
To mark this achievement, parents and carers were invited to attend The Flagship School in-school celebration on Wednesday 10 June which featured a special screening of “Chalk, Dust and Blood”, an awards presentation and light refreshments prepared and hosted by pupils under the guidance of Susan Lee, Food and Nutrition Teacher. In addition, pupils were given an inspiring careers talk by Senior Pastoral and Careers Lead Lisa Morris and met with Polly Risbridger, Chief Executive Officer of The Bright Foundation, who was in attendance to celebrate the launch of a new long-term partnership between the Foundation and The Flagship School.
It was a very proud morning for all the parents and carers watching their children perform on the big screen.
“Sophie, Will, and Alice have been fantastic with our children. They were adaptable, active listeners, and highly responsive. They developed wonderful relationships with our pupils, forming a truly great team. We are so proud of what our children have accomplished.”
- Wahida Mohamed, Project Lead and Teacher at Flagship School
About Flagship School
The Flagship is a special school within The Beckmead Trust for pupils from Year 3 to Year 11. The school supports young people who have the capacity to achieve age-related expectations, but whose neurodiverse profiles, alongside social, emotional and mental health needs, create significant barriers to learning.
Opportunities such as the Children’s International Film Festival demonstrate the power of creative learning experiences to broaden horizons, build confidence and enable pupils to recognise their own talent and potential on a national and international stage.
Congratulations to all students involved, and to the staff and partners whose dedication made this remarkable experience possible.