Illawarra youth awarded Green Flicks prize

Media release: 3 June 2016

Some of Illawarra's budding filmmakers were today crowned winners of the Green Flicks short film festival, highlighting the artistic talents and environmentalism of the region's young people.

Gabrielle Pietrini, Regional Manager at the Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH), said the winners, inspired by the theme 'big trouble, little world', were awarded their prizes at an environmental expo hosted by OEH at Wollongong's Regent Theatre this afternoon.

Skyla Yorke took out first place in the 12-14 year old category with her film My Little World, Our Little World about littering and ways to help our environment stay healthy.

Emme Cook, Avalon Robb and Hannah Billett won the 15-17 year old category with their film Titanic: the inconvenient truth that touches upon our changing climate.

The 18-24 year old category was won by Mitchell Slater and Harrison Vincent with The World as We Know It about nature vs the industrial world.

The winning films were premiered at today's expo attended by around 20 local youth, education and environmental organisations and more than 100 members of the local community.

"The film competition and the expo were a great way to engage young people in environmental issues and put them in touch with local organisations to harness their enthusiasm and creativity," said Ms Pietrini.

"The success of this event and the calibre of entries is largely thanks to the work of the competition's committee made up of students from Holy Spirit College and Wollongong High School for Performing Arts who worked alongside OEH to organise this opportunity.

"I congratulate all who participated in the competition and thank everyone who came to today's expo.

"The solutions to many of the environmental challenges shown in these films start with the community at the local level.

"The creativity and insight shown by these young people has generated a real sense of needing to value and protect our environment and we should harness this passion to help manage the environment that we all share," Ms Pietrini said.

Contact: Sarah Scroope