AIPS film receives accolades and festival screening

TWO short films highlighting environmental issues made by grade 5 and 6 Aireys Inlet Primary School (AIPS) students will be screened at the Lantern and Light International Children’s Film Festival (LLICFF) in outer Melbourne this month.

Fairhaven’s Rebecca Hosking and Melbourne’s Scarlet Sykes Hesterman created ‘Plastic RipTide’, a stop motion animation of marine animals encountering plastics, and ‘Behind the Scenes of Plastic RipTide’, a follow-up, behind-the-scenes film showing the making of the three-minute short last year.

The projects received a Boardriders Sustainability Challenge Award for 2021 and a highly commended in the junior section of the Very Short Film Festival 2022 in Tasmania.

AIPS principal Jennifer Abel said the films focus on sustainability follows a key element of the schools curriculum, and had received an overwhelming response from the local community.

“As the school in a coastal town, our students have grown up respecting the ocean and surrounding environment,” she said.
“The students are passionate in learning how to protect their local area and also advocate for wider global issues such as climate change… they might be only young but they feel they have a voice, and are confident enough to make it heard.

“I think the students themselves were surprised at what they could achieve together.”

The LLICFF is dedicated to giving a voice to children for the future and features films made by young people aged 6-18, each will be eligible for prestigious awards given to the best film in various categories.

The festival is holding screenings during September 16-18 in the Yarra Ranges at the Cameo Cinemas in Belgrave.

To view each of the AIPS films visit: aireysinletps.vic.edu.au/digital-creations/