Winners at RTS Student Television Awards

UWE Bristol students have won four categories at a national competition celebrating the best audiovisual work from university filmmakers across the UK and Ireland.

The RTS Student Television Awards 2026 supported by 4Skills, Channel 4’s nationwide training and development programme, were held in London on Friday 12 June.

Out of the 12 postgraduate categories, students from UWE Bristol’s MA Wildlife Filmmaking course, which is delivered in academic partnership with the BBC's Natural History Unit, won three:

Postgraduate Factual – Short Form: No Kidding by Sarah Ford

“The jury described the film as amusing, quirky, and fun, with strong contributors and humorous characters. They enjoyed the original and whimsical take on human-wildlife conflict, particularly the portrayal of goats as menaces. The piece was noted for its charm, originality, and well-built tension throughout.”

Postgraduate Factual – Long Form: COLOURISE: Exploring the Magical World of Biofluorescence by Naveendran Jayabalan, Soo Kai Liang and David Atthowe.

“The jury were hugely impressed by this truly unique and extraordinary film. The technical capabilities of cinematography ensured an intensely immersive visual experience, shedding light on the unknown world of darkness. The film was well-structured with an incredibly engaging contributor who hooked the judges in from the beginning. It was deemed ready for broadcast such was the calibre of the execution.”

Postgraduate Craft Skills – Camerawork: COLOURISE: Exploring the Magical World of Biofluorescence by Naveendran Jayabalan.

The camera work in this film mesmerised the judges’ five senses. “You are immersed in a hidden underground world where darkness reveals the inner beauty of nature at work. The judges were blown away by how every shot was beautifully crafted in challenging low-light conditions, showcasing their ability to capture a compelling narrative that held their attention throughout. This filmmaker should be particularly proud of how they made their £1000 budget look ten times that on screen, demonstrating an instinct for telling a compelling narrative.”

Peter Venn, Programme Leader MA Wildlife Filmmaking at UWE Bristol, said: “I’m so pleased to see Sarah and Naveen’s films win both Postgraduate Documentary categories at the RTS Student Awards – it’s a splendid achievement and thoroughly well deserved. 

“Sarah’s waggish tale of Llandudno’s Kashmiri goats is a charming, modern twist on the ‘visitors who took over’ fable, and Naveen’s glorious, technicolour exploration of nature is mesmerizing and revelatory. Both films give testament to what Sarah and Naveen have achieved, some truly fine storytelling and camerawork. Well done, I am immensely proud.” 

Among the 12 undergraduate categories, UWE Bristol BA (Hons) Animation students won:

Undergraduate Craft Skills – Editing: Meal Deal by Anais Kheir, Niamh McArdle and Amy Mulcahy.

“The jury praised the exceptional editing craft, highlighting its skillful pacing and ability to balance emotion and humour in a short runtime. They described the editing as “brilliant” and “masterful,” noting the confidence, professionalism, and precision with which every shot was assembled.”

This adds to BA Animation students’ recent success at The South West Design + Digital Student Awards: Vincent Tyson-Dieroff, Leo Crumbie, Olivia Highett, Gemma Ramadan, and Jodie Ramadan were all finalists. Vincent won the overall award, winning £2000, and Leo was a runner up, winning £1000.

Ian Friend, Programme Leader for BA Animation, added: "Huge congratulations to UWE Bristol animation students Anais Kheir, Niamh McArdle and Amy Mulcahy whose film Meal Deal has won the RTS National Craft Award for Editing. The film is testament to the amazing work being produced on UWE Bristol's animation course. An incredible achievement, we’re very proud of you all."