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Oscar Winner Rachel Shenton Chooses Best Short Film As The Midlands Movies Awards Announces 2026 Winners

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5 hours ago

Jul 1, 2026

With cameras ready and the red carpet rolled out, the stage was set for the 10th Anniversary Midlands Movies Awards live from the prestigious Y Theatre in Leicester.

With a packed venue, it was a special night as for the first time ever TWO winners were selected for Best Short – Geneviève Lowe for Soul Trader and Quiet by Lily Portman – chosen by Midlands-born VIP guest jury member Rachel Shenton.

An annual golden night for the region’s film community, was once again co-hosted by Ed Stagg and Midlands Movies editor Michael Sales.

And hailing from the region, Rachel Shenton was the perfect jury member as she is no stranger to supporting local talent as the founder of the Midlands Screen Acting School. She also co-leads the Slick Films Fund, both dedicated to championing working-class talent.

Of the films Rachel said,

“It was such a pleasure and a privilege to watch these short films. I know first-hand how hard it is to get films over the line – and to get them funded and made. I found it really hard to choose a winner. So hard in fact that I picked two as my top. They were very different, but both original, funny, innovative and entertaining”.

Midlands Movies editor Mike Sales adds,

“For our birthday, it was a great celebration of everything we, and more importantly the filmmaking community, have achieved and promoted over the last decade. There were plenty of memorable moments as we walked down memory lane but we also wanted to look to the future, as well as past triumphs. We hope the night provided a huge does of inspiration to every creative out there in the Midlands for their next steps in the film industry going forward.

Making films is always labour of love and these filmmakers are the reason cinema is alive and kicking in the Midlands. Behind every film is a group of passionate storytellers who poured their hearts into making movie magic possible.

It’s not just handing out trophies. It’s that unique Midlands voice they have, those local locations and those regional stories. And it all comes together to show how much passion given by everyone.

We hope to highlight their journey and play a small part in reminding them it’s only just starting. Seeing them all move onward is such a joy. And we hope they travel a similar successful path to Rachel’s”.

Joining Rachel were a panel of local film professionals including Ajay Bhadresa (MetFilm School Birmingham), Claire Bennet (scriptwriter BBC’s Doctors), Grant Black (Rural Media), Matt Tilt (What’s In A Scene), Sophie Black (Triskelle Pictures), Tenisha White (Actress/Filmmaker) and Kirstie Gregory, Hendrik Harms, Ellie L. Kilby (Worcester Film Festival).