Cork Students Shine at the Rubbish Film Festival Awards
Hundreds of Transition Year (TY) students from across Cork City and County gathered at Fota Wildlife Park’s Education, Conservation and Research Centre on Monday, 31st March, to celebrate their achievements at the 2025 Rubbish Film Festival Awards.
The Rubbish Film Festival, an award-winning national initiative, challenges TY students to create one-minute films tackling key environmental issues, including climate change, sustainability, and waste reduction. The festival, jointly funded by Cork County Council and Cork City Council, empowers young people in Cork to use digital storytelling to raise awareness and drive action.
At the Awards, students took centre stage to showcase their work and inspire further action in environmental education and awards were presented to both Cork County Council and Cork City Council schools. The Best Film Awards were presented to Schull Community College for their film, Playing for Time and Douglas Community School for their film, Final Breath. Runner Up Awards were also presented to St Mary’s Secondary School, Charleville and Terence MacSwiney Community College, while Loreto Secondary School Fermoy and Mount Mercy College took home the top prizes for the Poster Competition. Special Impact Awards were also presented to St Mary’s Secondary School Mallow and Mayfield Community School.
Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Joe Carroll said
Mayor
This event is a testament to the creativity, passion, and commitment of Cork’s young people in using media to highlight environmental issues. Through the Rubbish Film Festival, students have not only developed practical skills in filmmaking but have also become more conscious advocates for sustainability in their communities.
Lord Mayor of Cork City, Cllr Dan Boyle said, “we are delighted to collaborate once again with the festival organisers and Cork County Council to bring this important event to Cork. In doing so, we are furthering our commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainable living. The students’ hard work in creating these films will enlighten and empower individuals to make a positive impact on our environment.”
This year, students from 26 Cork schools, 14 from Cork County and 12 from Cork City, took part in onsite workshops, each with 12 students per class, where they developed their filmmaking, editing, and storytelling skills under the guidance of industry professionals. Their final films were screened and celebrated at the event, where students also presented their projects and discussed the environmental messages behind their films.
Nationally, this year’s festival has engaged over 1,800 students in 150 schools nationwide, with Cork playing a key role in its success. The Rubbish Film Festival has been widely recognised for its impact, winning the Green Stakeholder Award at the All-Ireland Sustainability Awards and receiving high commendations at the Digital Education Awards and Media Literacy Ireland Awards.
For more information on the Rubbish Film Festival, visit www.rubbishfilmfestival.com