The Kodak / NAHEMI Student Commercial Awards Announced

The Kodak/Nahemi student commercial awards were held at the historic Regent Street Cinema on Friday 31stMay 2024, with a vibrant audience of 180 student film makers, film teachers, and advertising industry professionals.

After a screening of all 64 entries from 17 film schools from the UK and Ireland, the awards presentation was hosted by the inspirational Gémina Gil Flores & Jemma Burgess, also known as The Gems, who are an award-winning creative team at McCann’s; this was followed by a drinks reception sponsored by Kodak.

This year’s winner was ‘Sentenced by Salt’, made by students from the University of the West of England for the charity Action on Salt, which campaigns to reduce the amount of salt in processed foods. The judges described the commercial as “A compelling concept that dramatized and exaggerated the story in a truly fun way, tied together tightly by a great endline. It goes to show, that a simple idea done well really does stand out.”

The competition has been running for more than 40 years, and is organised by Peter Hort from the University of Westminster and David Heinemann from the University of Middlesex, with financial support from Kodak, Nahemi and the University of Westminster. Kodak film was used to shoot 4 out of 5 BAFTA nominations for Best Film in 2024, and 19 of the 32 films nominated for Oscars.

Students had to devise and make a 30 second commercial using one ten minute roll of 16mm film provided free-of-charge by Kodak. They were provided with live briefs by the advertising agencies McCann, Libertine and TBWA, for McVities and Just Eat and the charities Ovarian Cancer Action and Action on Salt.

The competition is judged by a panel of representatives from the agencies that supplied the briefs, together Sam Clark, Kodak’s Director of Sales, Motion Picture and Entertainment for Europe, and the chair of Nahemi.

Well done to all award winners and huge thanks to Peter Hort and his team for organising!

This year’s winners are: 

OVERALL WINNERS

1st        Sentenced by Salt                                           University of the West of England

2nd       The Vow of Silence                                         University of the West of England

3rd=      Tea Rebellion                                                  Arts University Bournemouth

3rd =     Death’s Open Mic                                           Arts University Bournemouth

WINNERS of each BRIEF 

ACTION ON SALT

1st        Sentenced By Salt                                           University of the West of England

2nd       Death’s Open Mic                                           Arts University Bournemouth

3rd        Shellshocked                                                   University of the West of England

JUST EAT

1st        The Vow of Silence                                         University of the West of England

2nd       Runway Feast                                                 London Film Academy

3rd =     Wherever You Are                                          The Irish National Film School, IADT

3rd =     Haunted by Hunger                                        Leeds Arts University 

McVITIES

1st        Tea Rebellion                                                  Arts University Bournemouth

2nd =    CopyCat                                                          University for the Creative Arts Farnham

2nd =    Baz and Biscuit                                                Arts University Bournemouth

2nd =    Breaking Point                                                Arts University Bournemouth

OVARIAN CANCER ACTION

1st        Don’t Ignore the Signs                                    University of the West of England

2nd       Saved by the Bell                                            University of the West of England

CRAFT AWARDS

 Writing:                       The Case of Orange Delight    University of Westminster

Cinematography:        Sentenced by Salt                   University of The West of England

Animation:                  Haunted by Hunger                Leeds Arts University

Editing:                        The Real Deal                          Arts University Bournemouth

Costume & Design:     Runway Feast                         London Film Academy

Performance:              A Savoury Gag                         The Irish National Film School, IADT

Sound:                         Wherever You Are                  The Irish National Film School, IADT

Jury Award:                 Rollercoaster of Flavours        University of Greenwich