‘Make It Here’ School Film Nominated for Prestigious ‘Into Film’ Award

A film created by pupils from Beam County Primary School through Barking and Dagenham’s Film Enterprise Programme was shortlisted for this year’s prestigious Into Film Awards, putting the borough’s next generation of talent firmly in the spotlight.

The film’s creativity and storytelling earned it a place on the shortlist for ‘Best Film’ at this year’s awards. Run by Into Film, the UK’s leading charity for film, TV and games education, the awards recognise outstanding work by young people aged 5–19 and help inspire the next generation of screen industry talent.

The nomination saw Beam Primary pupils walk the red carpet at a star-studded ceremony in Leicester Square, where they joined some of the biggest names in film and television and celebrated alongside talented young filmmakers from across the UK.

From Classroom Idea to Red Carpet Recognition

Film Enterprise is an annual programme that introduces young people across Barking and Dagenham to the world of film and television. Delivered by Film Barking & Dagenham and LBBD’s Inspiring Futures programme, the initiative gives students the chance to develop, pitch and ultimately produce original film ideas.

Last year saw an impressive 21 schools submit film proposals, inspired by the theme “Metamorphosis”. Students were challenged to interpret the theme in their own unique way, resulting in an exciting range of creative concepts.

The programme culminated in a high-energy Dragon’s Den-style Pitch Day where eight shortlisted school teams pitched their ideas to a panel of leading industry professionals spanning film, broadcast and composition. From those pitches, two winning films were selected for production by a professional film crew.

Created by some of the borough’s youngest filmmakers, ‘One Moment’ tells the story of Amari, a disruptive and disengaged pupil whose life takes an unexpected turn when a mystical transformation sees him step into the shoes of a grown-up and he’s faced with a moment of self-reflection that could change the course of his young life. The film impressed judges with its creativity, storytelling and mature exploration of personal growth and responsibility.

Building the Creative Workforce of the Future

The achievement highlights the impact of Barking and Dagenham’s investment in creative education and talent development. Through initiatives such as Film Enterprise, young people gain hands-on experience of the screen industries, discover new career pathways and develop

the confidence to tell stories that matter. Congratulations to the young creators of ‘One Moment’ and everyone involved in bringing this inspiring project to life