Big Screen Festival

This year's awards ceremony and screening was held at Harbour Lights Picture House in Southampton on Saturday 26 January.

Over a hundred producers, directors, cast and crew joined friends and family of entrants for the event hosted by BBC South Today's Georgie Palmer.

The festival is aimed at enthusiastic amateurs, aspiring new professionals or student filmmakers. It is held in partnership with the local film charity City Eye and Harbour Lights Picturehouse.

Comedy winner Andy Phelps

Entrants must be from, based in or study in Hampshire, Dorset or the Isle of Wight, or their film must be connected to the area.  Films are streamed in broadband on the BBC Hampshire and Dorset websites.

A shortlist was chosen by Big Screen organisers and BBC film critic, Mark Kermode picked his favourite in each category.

Georgie announced Mark's favourites in each category - Drama, Animation, Comedy and Arts/Factual/Documentary.

Eleanor Geller won the Best Animation for her moving and evocative Spirit Child which she produced as a graduation film from Southampton Solent University.

Eleanor Geller wins best animation

Andy Phelps scooped the award for best comedy.  His zombie spoof Just Another Day of the Dead.  Shot on location on Dorset's Jurassic Coast, he described the film as "not bad for arsing around on a Sunday morning!"

In the Drama category, it was a second win for Bournemouth Arts Institute's Rob Brown. 

Rob's award for the mysterious short Open Skies now shares his mantelpiece  with his award for Family Portrait which he won in 2006.  Rob had just flown in from Poland where he was shooting scenes for his next production.  

In the final category, Arts/Factual/Documentary.  Andrew Bradley won the award for his journey of self-discovery into his family history - Who is Me?

Arts/Factual/Doc winner Andrew Bradley

This year a special award was presented by festival Partners City Eye. 

The Southampton filmmaking organisation seeks to support local producers and directors and awarded a special prize of equipment use and support for a film which they see potential.

Kevin Turrell was handed the City Eye Special award for comic-strip spoof, Comicman.

ALL WINNERS AND SHORTLISTED FILMS

Animation
Spirit Child – Eleanor Geller (winner)
House Wins – Dan Matley
Dreams – Christopher Allen

Drama
Open Skies - Rob Brown (winner)
The House Master – Paul Ralph
Crebo – Ciarron Clarkson

Comedy
Just Another Day of the Dead - Andy Phelps (winner)
Gulliver’s Bedroom – Joe Dawson
Comicman – Kevin Turrell
Love Southsea – Sadie Tierney

Arts/Factual/Documentary
Who is me – Andrew Bradley
Pavilion Past – Joe Stevens
Love Southsea – Sadie Tierney

City Eye Award
Comicman - Kevin Turrell