'Gandalf' to Bring a Touch of Magic to Young Filmmakers' 'Mini Oscars(R)'

'Gandalf' to Bring a Touch of Magic to Young Filmmakers' 'Mini Oscars(R)'

LONDON, February 11/PRNewswire/ --

- Top Film Talent Due at Special Awards Ceremony at Odeon West End,
Leicester Square on 23 February 2005



Top UK film talent, including Sir Ian McKellen (Gandalf in the Lord of
the Rings trilogy), will be amongst those contributing to the movie magic at
a special awards ceremony honouring young UK filmmakers in London's
Leicester Square on 23 February.



The First Light Film Awards celebrate the best short films made by
children and young people between the ages of 5 and 18 from across the UK.
The films were created through the UK Film Council's First Light initiative,
using National Lottery grants worth an average of GBP5,000 per project.



The First Light Film Awards Ceremony will take place between:



11am - 12.30pm
Wednesday 23 February 2005
Odeon West End, Leicester Square, London
Photocall from 10.30am -11am at Odeon


Prior to the ceremony there will be interview opportunities with the
nominees at Sound in Leicester Square, London from 10.00am - 10.45am.



A panel of celebrity judges, including Alfie star Jude Law, is busy
deciding which films will scoop the awards. Other judges include Rupert
Grint, (Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter films); filmmaker/actor Stephen Fry;
celebrated author Nick Hornby; Romola Garai (Inside I'm Dancing), Pawel
Pawlikowski, (Director of award-winning film My Summer of Love); and Evening
Standard Film Award winner Natalie Press who stars in the film; and Pam
Ferris (Aunt Marge in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban).



The ceremony will be hosted by Jake Humphrey of CBBC and Fame
Academy 2, with awards up for grabs in nine categories including Best Comedy,
Best Horror/ Thriller, Best Special Effects, Best Film by Under 13's, Best
Film by Over 13's, Best Drama, Best Screenplay, Best Animation and Best
Documentary.



The Awards will be presented by top UK creative talent
including Sir Ian McKellen (Lord of the Rings), Asher D (So Solid Crew member
and star of forthcoming film Bullet Boy); Amma Asante (Director of A Way of
Life and winner of the London Film Festival UK Film Talent award); Joe
Prospero (Finding Neverland); Colin Salmon (Alien vs Predator, Bond); Nicolas
Roeg (Director of The Witches and Castaway); and Hugh Hudson (Director of
film classic Chariots of Fire).



Films from the following areas have been nominated: Banbury;
Bridgend; Bristol; Devon; Dorset; Edinburgh; Fife; Glasgow; Hereford; Leeds;
London; Manchester; Merseyside; Newcastle; Nottingham; Northamptonshire;
Reading; Sheffield; Shoreham-by-Sea; Surrey; Swindon.



Source: UK Film Council

For more information on the nominated films, interview requests and media representatives wishing to cover the awards ceremony, please contact: Caroline Nagle or Ian Thomson, UK Film Council press office, Tel: +44-(0)20-7861-7508 / 7901, Email: press@ukfilmcouncil.org.uk


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