Young Filmmakers Spotlighted at British & Irish Film Festival Luxembourg

Emerging filmmakers took centre stage at the British & Irish Film Festival Luxembourg (BIFFL) 2025 Spring Edition as the anticipated Young Filmmakers Competition returned for its second edition. 

On 19 March 2025, the Cinémathèque became a showcase of creativity and storytelling as students from across Luxembourg presented their short films to an audience and industry professionals.

The evening opened with a welcome from Geoff Thompson, BIFFL President and festival organiser. Film producer Paul Thiltges delivered an insightful speech on the challenges and rewards of filmmaking, emphasizing the opportunities available to aspiring filmmakers in Luxembourg. He highlighted the Brevet de Technicien Supérieur (BTS) in Cinematic Arts as a pathway for young creatives to develop their skills and discussed the support offered by the Film Fund Luxembourg.

The screening programme prior to the competition featured an exciting mix of films, beginning with Dear Imelda, introduced by director Aron Holden and actor Declan Currane who talked abut how they became involved in making films by borrowing a family video recorder during holidays and recreating scenes from their favourite films. This was followed by Give Him Time featuring Pat Shortt, and Being Human, created by last year’s Young Filmmakers Competition winners, Noah Piff and Sylvain De Bel, an insightful and thought-provoking documentary filmed in London.

Competition Entries and Winners

A panel of industry professionals and representatives judged the films based on storytelling, artistic and technical execution. This years jury included: Lara
Dieudonné, from the British Embassy in Luxembourg, Caoimhe McCarthy, Deputy Head of Mission from the Irish Embassy, Sami Tlili, Creative Europe Desk from Film Fund Luxembourg, Seth Ruef, Vice President of Festival Events and retired media studies teacher, and Geoff Thompson, Festival Events President and festival organiser.

Bob Christen from l’Oeuvre Nationale de Secours Grande-Duchesse Charlotte, which had supported the competition, also addressed the audience and spoke about such initiatives giving confidence to young people.

The entries for this year’s competition were as follows:
- Komm Mat, Komm Mat, by Carlotta Thomas (Lënster Lycée)
- Define Freedom, by Noah Piff (International School at Differdange, EIDE)
- My Mom Was Right, by Al'aa Akram Aiash (Lycée Michel Lucius)
- La Dernière Gorgée, by Nina Zimmer & Salomé-Ange Wilk (Lënster Lycée)
- Beer, by Elliot Esposito (International School at Differdange, EIDE)
- Raven, by Philip Mate (European School 1)
- Beautiful Boy, by Cathy Diagne (International School at Differdange, EIDE)
- The Stand on the Corner, by Anna Silenchuk (ISL)
- I Wish, by Daria Gorchakova (ISL)
- Runaway, by Daria Gorchakova (ISL)
- On the Other Side, by Antoine Merkling, Andrei Ionescu, Evan Knel, Edgar Portal (Lycée Vauban)
- Incolume, by Lucie Reisen (ISL)

The winners of this year’s competition were:
- 1st Place – La Dernière Gorgée by Nina Zimmer & Salomé-Ange Wilk
- 2nd Place – Define Freedom by Noah Piff

The winning film, La Dernière Gorgée, tackled the complex and sensitive issue of sexual assault, employing unique storytelling techniques to raise awareness and meaningful dialogue.

This year's prize included two industry passes for the Galway Film Fleadh in Ireland in July, along with a €500 contribution toward accommodation. As part of this, they have been invited to create a ten-minute documentary from their time in Galway, which will be screened at the festival’s next autumn and spring editions.

The evening concluded with a reception hosted by the British Embassy, where attendees, jury members and filmmakers engaged in conversations about their films and future plans in the industry.

AE