Preston student wins top film award

A Preston student has won the prestigious Alice Guy Blaché Award as part of this year’s Film Buddy Festival.

In collaboration with Cardinal Newman College, the award invites emerging filmmakers to create original work, rooted in a simple but powerful belief that cinema can be a force for good.

This year's winner was Milly Fry from Lancashire and her short film Solace - a story about time, memory, and appreciation.

Film Buddy CEO, Ben Sweet, explained that each entry to the festival must celebrate non-violence and positive storytelling, reflecting the values Alice herself brought to her work over a century ago.

Film Buddy is an innovative and award-winning company which helps bridge the gap between education and employment in the film, TV and creative media industries. They partner with top UK universities, such as Cardinal Newman and Lancashire University and work regionally.

Their mission is to inspire the next generation, support education, and champion new talent through practical industry engagement.

In recent years, they’ve placed students on the BBC’s Riot Women, Wolf Hall, Gentleman Jack, ITV’s spy thriller Betrayal and The Bay, Channel 5's All Creatures Great and Small and The Forsytes to name a few.

Ben explained how the Alice Guy Blaché Award was in honour of one of cinema’s true pioneers, a director, producer and storyteller, who shaped the art of film before most people even knew it existed.

The CEO, who has 20 years of experience in the film industry, said it was one of the most meaningful strands of the Film Buddy Film Festival. It took place last Friday. (May 2)

He added: “This award exists to champion the next generation of voices in film. This year, we were very proud to announce that the award went to Solace, written and directed by Milly Fry.

“This award exists to champion the next generation of voices in film. This year, we were very proud to announce that the award went to Solace, written and directed by Milly. It’s a deeply felt and beautifully crafted film: a remarkable achievement and a testament to the extraordinary talent emerging from Cardinal Newman College.

“Milly has produced something genuinely special: a film with heart, intention and a real cinematic voice. Solace is exactly the kind of film this award was created for. Milly has made something genuinely moving, and it’s a privilege to celebrate her work on a platform like this. Congratulations to Milly and to everyone at the college, we can’t wait to see what comes next.”

The award-winning filmmaker added that Film Buddy was working regionally to support students at Cardinal Newman and the University of Lancashire, providing opportunities for direct collaboration and creating pathways into the film and TV industry.

Milly said: “The film follows Ben, who, after losing his best friend, becomes lost in grief, until he is pulled into a surreal world of memories, reliving moments of laughter and unspoken pain whilst time begins slipping away, forcing Ben to confront what he couldn’t face before.

‘’Solace is a touching journey through loss, memory and acceptance, where letting go is not leaving behind, but a symbol of love.

‘’When planning this short film, I wanted to channel my own experiences of grief to create a realistic portrayal that allows viewers to relate, feel seen, recognise the complexity of loss and see the feeling of wanting one last moment come to life.

“I am very appreciative of all who have supported the film, as well as my ambitious, award-winning actors who were able to bring my ideas to life visually.”

Neil Avery from Cardinal Newman added:  “Watching our Year 13 Creative Media students’ films on the big screen at the Film Buddy festival was such a special and emotional moment. Seeing their ideas, stories, and hard work come to life in front of an audience made me incredibly proud.

“Milly’s film was so powerful, honest, and heartfelt, and truly cinematic, I couldn’t be happier to see it win Best Film. It was so well deserved. But, honestly, every single student should feel proud.

‘’The standard of work was truly outstanding, and the collection of short films truly reflected the creativity, courage, passion, and talent within this group. It has been a real privilege to watch our students grow over the last 2 years and tell such meaningful stories through their work.”