Get Shorty

Reflection - A winning film to change your world

The subject of GSF2009 was child mortality, and Jon Snow of Channel 4 News challenged students to create a concept and a storyboard for a short film about the reasons why 9 million children across the world die from preventable causes before their 5th birthday. Reflection was written by Sophie Duffree, Rebecca Climpson, Kate O'Neill, Ellie Wood, Kirsty Hewitt, Hayley Goves, Natasha Cutmore, Emily Carter and Hollie Anderson of Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School.

Reflection won third place in The Institute of Videography's category for Best Film in 2010.

Praise for Reflection and its creators:

"The students from Kesteven and Grantham Girls School clearly understand the power of film to affect the viewers' hearts and minds. I hope that many people will see their excellent short film and that it will change, for good, many hearts and minds around the world."

Lord David Puttnam (Film Director, President of the Film Distributors' Association)

"What is so astonishing about this inspirational film is that it has been made by such young girls.  It is a beautifully crafted piece of work with a genuine and heartfelt message brilliantly communicated.  I hope this film is watched by every young person (and some old ones too!) because this film has the power to affect change and that is every filmmaker's dream."

Debbie Isitt (Film Director)

"The students from Kesteven and Grantham Girls School have demonstrated an excellent approach to global citizenship. Their impressive film clearly illustrates the impact that we all make on the lives of other people in this globally interconnected world. I hope that many people will watch it and think again about what it means to be a global citizen."

Professor Lord Alton of Liverpool (Roscoe Foundation for Citizenship)

Everybody Wants a Peace

GSF2008 had as its focus the following questions: Why do wars start? What causes wars, particularly in developing countries? Is there such a thing as a just war? Who is affected by wars? How are young people affected by war, particularly in developing countries? How does war affect people long after the guns have fallen silent? What can we do to promote peace? What can be done to transform conflict, locally and globally? What roles do reconciliation and forgiveness play?

The winning film for GSF2008 was made by students from Stratton Upper School and Community College. As well as carrying out an impressive programme of peer education in their own school and in local primary schools, these students used the resources on the peer educator pack to create an inspirational video which they showed as widely as possible to great effect.