Nominations Revealed For 10th Anniversary Edition of The Midlands Movies Awards

Regional organisation Midlands Movies has announced the nominations for its annual film awards across 16 categories with the participation of Academy Award-winner Rachel Shenton.

The awards are a platform to honour the many amazing local films completed in the last 12 months, with nominations and winners chosen by an experienced jury made up of a diverse range of industry experts.

Rachel won an Oscar for best live-action short for The Silent Child in 2018, and heads up the jury in 2026. Other key industry representatives include Ajay Bhadresa (MetFilm School Birmingham), Claire Bennet (scriptwriter BBC’s Doctors), Grant Black (Rural Media) and Matt Tilt (What’s In A Scene).

Sophie Black (Triskelle Pictures), Tenisha White (Actress/Filmmaker), Kirstie Gregory, Hendrik Harms, Ellie L. Kilby (Worcester Film Festival) & Mike Sales (Midlands Movies) round out the panel.

Midlands Movies are also pleased to announce the prestigious ceremony will take place on Saturday 27^th June 2026 at The Y Theatre in Leicester. The night celebrates the best creative film talent in the region with red carpet photos, awards presentations, prizes, networking opportunities, drinks and more! 

Tickets for the ceremony are available HERE

Celebrating its 10^th year, the Midlands Movies Awards have now supported the best filmmaking talent in the region for a decade and is again calling for independent filmmakers of all ages and backgrounds to submit their creative film projects for viewing by industry experts.

Previous VIP jury panel members include Richard Armitage (‘The Hobbit’), Parminder Nagra (‘DI Ray’ & ‘Bend It Like Beckham’), Shane Meadows (‘This Is England’), Debbie Isitt (BAFTA winning director of ‘Nativity!’), Steve Oram (‘Sightseers’ actor) & Richard Billingham (Turner prize nominee). All these industry icons have been strongly committed to supporting new talent to follow in their footsteps.

The Midlands Movies Awards Story

Each year, the Midlands Movies Awards is brought to life by a group of dedicated film fans pooling their expertise to celebrate a collective passion for the movie community in the region.

For a decade, these awards have encouraged independent filmmakers of all ages and backgrounds to submit creative film projects and have them viewed by industry experts.

No matter how big or small productions are, filmmakers involved compete in 16 categories including best short, and best feature as well as a host of cast and crew accolades with the eventual winners announced at a lavish ceremony each Summer.

The Awards will again see zero budget films compete with cinema-released films as the jury seek out the best of the best no matter the resources are available.

Editor and founder of Midlands Movies Mike Sales says,

“The awards continue to be a special place for everyone, as filmmakers work on very limited resources yet still create first-class films across every genre. Rachel’s links to the region and huge support for what we strive to achieve has been invaluable”.

“It’s helped shine a bigger spotlight onto our creative community, with the rest of the country now waking up and taking note of the unbelievably skilled and accomplished filmmakers we have here”.

“I’m so excited for our 10^th anniversary. Short films are our most popular category and film awards are no bigger than the Oscars. Our focus is always to bring attention on this specific area’s pool of talent. Who better than Staffordshire-born short-film Academy Award-winner Rachel Shenton to lead our jury! It’s a perfect match and shows up-and-coming local filmmakers they can achieve their dreams too”.

The Awards will again see zero budget films compete with cinema-released films as the jury seek out the best of the best no matter the resources are available. “Our goal has always been to shine a spotlight on the region’s talent and for people to finally take notice of the amazing creatives we have here locally,” adds Mike.

The nominations in full:

Best Actress in a Leading Role

Karendip Phull for Family

Kate Bracken for The Lace

Rachel Baker for Throwing Fruit

Chloe Wade for How Long

Sophie Bullock for Ma Prison

Best Animated Film

Of All the Things by Steff Lee

Big Red by James Pyle

Statue in the Garden by Qianhui Yu

Butterfly by Jacob Christie

Best Director

Luke Worrall for The Waterline

Lily Portman for Quiet

Jack Richardson for Daniel’s Room

Jonathan Hawes for Sorry We’re Closed

Sophia Dall’Aglio for Man from Mars

Best Documentary

Nothing’s Impossible by Jacob Thomas McClean

A Birmingham Symphony by Jemma Saunders

We Bring Light: Leicester’s Diwali Legacy by Kieran Vyas

The Sunshine Café by Jill Lampert

Through the Viewfinder by William North

Best Sound (Editing or Mixing)

Neil Evans & his team for Artificial Insanity

Alasdair Gretton for Dead on Distribution

Deepanjali Patel for Earworm

David Hamilton-Smith for The Pause

Heidi Wilson for Of All The Things

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Devon Junior for Lazar

Tim Sparrow for Safety Net

Shaiek Ahmed Rana for Family

Luke Rollason for Quiet

Peter Willoughby for A Story of Spring

Best Visual & Special Effects

Jake Wesley-Worrall for Soul Trader

Steve Askey & team for The Correction Unit

Nick Willett, Matt Burkey & Jayne Hyman for Black Goat

JaqD SFX MUA, Mind Magic Studios and Ben Harker for Beyond the Witching Hour

Pete Key, Jai Blanks and Jacob Christie for Countenance

Best Cinematography

Gary Rogers for The Pause

Laurence Mason-Guetta for Sorry We’re Closed

Ian Snape for Soul Trader

Ash Connaughton for Daniel’s Room

Duane Adamoli for Surfing

Best Costume & Makeup & Hairstyling

Amrita Mudan, Lillian Neil, Bethany Longstone-Mays for Daniel’s Room

Verity Verhoven for Lazar

Emily Laye, Mega Skillern and Millissa Morris for Soul Trader

Cian Whyles & Victoria Jones for Quiet

Nicole Sarah Fry for The Lace

Best Actor in a Leading Role

Harry Clarke for Surfing

Joe Spoors for Homebird

Timothy Mylechreest for Earworm

Joseph Emms for Lazar

Darren McAree for Beyond the Witching Hour

Best Editing

Mikolaj Kacprzak for Soul Trader

Will Simpson BFE for Daniel’s Room

Gillian Abraham for The Pause

Richard Bailey and Dave Alexander Smith for The Run

Samuel Moult for Mia, Alex and Dean Make A Movie

Best Music (Score or song)

Thomas Pearce for All Eyes on You

Dave Mooney and Michael Bird for Lazar

Sarah Playford for Of All The Things

Kitty Harper for Ma Prison

Lina and the Lions for If This Is It

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Grace Devall for Echoing

Elleese Bradshaw for The Correction Unit

Tessa Wood for The Waterline

Aleesha Gill for Family

Issie Victoria for Teabags

Best Feature

The Beast Of Riverside Hollow by John Williams

This Is Birmingham by Kay S. Ubhi

Rites in August by Tom Turrell & John Turrell

The Correction Unit by Derry Shillitto

Best Writing (Original or adapted screenplay)

Tom Wallbanks & Grace Carter for Bob

Jonathan Hawes for Sorry We’re Closed

Rachel Baker for Throwing Fruit

Ash Arnold for Present Company Excluded

Jonathan Lill for Eulogy

Best Short Film (winner will be chosen by VIP jury panel member Rachel Shenton)

Daniel’s Room by Jack Richardson

How Long by Louise Wildish

Sorry We’re Closed by Jonathan Hawes

Soul Trader by Geneviève Lowe

Family by Shaiek Ahmed Rana

Quiet by Lily Portman

Safety Net by Alfie Beard