Inspiring Stories Trust has announced the finalists from their third annual film competition. The Trust’s CEO Guy Ryan said this was the strongest group of entrants yet. The winners will be revealed at an awards ceremony in Wellington on October 4^th. The most inspiring story wins $2000 from the NZ Screen Association and a 2-day internship at Images & Sound post-production house in Auckland.

The competition aims to celebrate not only New Zealand’s budding filmmakers, but their inspirational young protagonists as well. The theme ‘Young Kiwis Making a Difference’ bought a range of diversity in topics from across the country. From campaigning against shark finning on the Kapiti Coast to exploring how the local music scene is mending a broken Christchurch, to a daring trip down the Whanganui River in kayaks made of plastic bottles.

A panel of 7 judges deliberated last weekend to choose finalists for the secondary, tertiary and open categories, as well as an overall winner. The trust has also partnered with like-minded organisations to give special awards to stories in their fields. These are Forest and Bird, The Sir Peter Blake Trust, Generation Zero, Trade Aid and The Big Idea.

Mr Ryan said the Trust was planning a special weekend of events including screenings, workshops and social activities for the finalists that travel to Wellington for the awards ceremony. “We appreciate the time and energy that was put into making these films and we want the awards night and the whole weekend to be a great experience that supports the learning and development of these emerging filmmakers,” Mr Guy said.

The finalists are:

• Best in Secondary Category Finalists
• ‘Cows & Cleaner Dairying’ by Sarah Ridsdale
• ‘Someday’ by Mason Packer
• Town Like Here’ by Greta Yeoman

• Best in Tertiary Category Finalists
• 'Plastic Bottle Kayak Expedition’ by Seung-Woo Hong
• ‘A Passion for Local Food’ by Leigha Speirs Hutton
• AEISEC’ by Simon Shin

• Best in Open Category Finalists
• ‘Feminism with Teresa’ by Kathleen Winter
• ‘Awakening the Rangitahi’ by Patsy Burke & Paul Nelson
• ‘Trent’ by Gareth Mauchline

• Making a Difference Award finalists
• ‘Someday’ by Mason Packer
• ‘A Passion for Local Food’ by Leigha Speirs Hutton
• ‘Sara’s Story’ by Luke Stace

• Technical Prowess finalists
• ‘A Passion for Local Food’ by Leigha Speirs Hutton
• ‘Plastic Bottle Kayak Expedition’ by Seung-Woo Hong
• ‘Cows & Cleaner Dairying’ by Sarah Ridsdale

• Honourable Mention finalists
• ‘Without My Dad’ by Mana Nightingale
• ‘Wastewater Treatment with Pooperman & Poppy Loo Paper’ by Sarah Ridsdale
• ‘Young People Restoring the Kepler’ by Edwin Nicholson

• Sir Peter Blake Trust Youth Leadership Award finalists
• ‘Teesh’ by Lindsey Horne
• ‘Plastic Bottle Kayak Expedition’ by Seung-Woo Hong
• ‘UYC ‘13’ by Ripeka Reiri

• Forest & Bird Kaitiaki/Environment Award finalists
• ‘Someday’ by Mason Packer
• ‘Cows & Cleaner Dairying’ by Sarah Risdale
• ‘Plastic Bottle Kayak Expedition’ by Seung-Woo Hong

• Generation Zero: Solutions to Climate Change Award finalists
• ‘A Passion for Local Food’ by Leigha Speirs Hutton
• ‘Teesh’ by Lindsey Horne
• ‘Cows & Cleaner Dairying’ by Sarah Ridsdale

• Trade Aid Human Rights Award finalists
• ‘Feminism with Teresa’ by Kathleen Winter
• 'Painting the Truth’ by Allie Bell & Liana Roberts-Letiu
• ‘Something Given’ by Olivya Bato, Lani Brown, Khodi Simeona

• The Big Idea Creativity & Culture Award finalists
• ‘Town Like Here’ by Greta Yeoman
• ‘Cows & Cleaner Dairying’ by Sarah Ridsdale
• ‘Awakening the Rangitahi’ by Patsy Burke & Paul Nelson