Cracking question, Gromit!

Date posted: 14 March 2025; •
Type: News; •
Author: Jeremy Waterfield; •
Estimated reading time: 3 minute read

Sat at this year’s Oscars ceremony, hoping for yet another major film accolade, was a former graduate of the Beaconsfield-based National Film and Television School (NFTS).

Sadly, Wallace and Gromit creator Nick Park didn’t grab more Oscar glory that night, despite lifting a BAFTA this year for ‘Murder Most Fowl’. Yet his Hollywood reputation was very much in the minds of this year’s graduates of the NFTS as they gathered at the Odeon Luxe, Leicester Square, at the end of Oscars week. They were there to celebrate their success and honour those presented with the school’s awards for best student films, TV shows, commercials and games in 2025.

The makers of one of the films were selected by an IOSH judging panel from our Thames Valley Branch to share its £1,000 prize for this year’s ‘Health & safety management in film production’ award.

Winning team

And the award went to… three graduating students, Sara Saini, Emma Hinnells and Owen Tucknott for their work on the documentary film, A Good Question. Focusing on the reshaping of Punjab since Britain’s colonisation of India, the film explores the enduring socio-political and emotional impact of migration.

“It’s a pleasure for us at IOSH to judge the ever increasing standards of risk assessment by the students at the NFTS. This year’s winners really showed the need to adjust risk assessments as situations change.”

Tyrone Partridge

Job role: Chair; •
Company: IOSH Thames Valley Branch

The NFTS Graduate Showcase presented work made by the school’s students across the past 12 months and included over 80 shorts, TV works, animations, documentaries, commercials and games.

NFTS production safety manager Sunny Bains thanked IOSH for its continued support, saying: “The winning students should be very proud of how they managed the safety challenges during the planning and preparation of their films.

“This year the IOSH judges commented on how effectively the winning team explained the risk assessment process, identifying and managing the safety challenges they faced. The whole team showed how they all played an important part in the planning and execution of the safety measures.”

Another winner at this year’s event was broadcaster Louis Theroux, who stepped up before more than 300 NFTS graduating students to receive the prestigious NFTS annual Honorary Fellowship.

Last updated: 14 March 2025