Matilda star celebrates Mayo winners of short film competition

Students from Youthreach Ballinrobe were awarded a prize at the Frame of Mind short film competition for their creation, ‘Saving Sadie’.

The students received their award at a special screening for the competition, which is hosted by Walk in my Shoes, in partnership with Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland.

Submitted by the Mayo school, the short film tells the ‘story of a person who can't see any way forward and how friendship can conquer all’.

‘Matilda’ star, Alisha Weir, led congratulations to the students, and said: “I think everyone nominated tonight should be really proud of themselves, and have done an amazing job. The message of the Frame of Mind competition is so important. It’s a great way for us to use our creativity and our voice to make something together – but most importantly, to talk to each other about things we don’t normally talk about.”

Held annually, Frame of Mind is an initiative of Walk in My Shoes, the flagship awareness-raising campaign of St Patrick’s Mental Health Services, that uses the mediums of short film and photography to help to promote positive mental health and reduce stigma around mental health difficulties. 

In 2024, in celebration of the competition’s ten-year anniversary, Walk in My Shoes partnered with Screen Ireland, the national agency for Irish film, television, drama, animation and documentary, to help to amplify positive mental health messages while also showcasing emerging young talent within the sector.

81 students from nine counties across Ireland were shortlisted in this year’s competition, which was open to secondary schools, special education schools, Youthreach centres and Further Education and Training (FET) centres. The winning and shortlisted entries are:

Speaking about this key initiative from Walk in My Shoes, Paul Gilligan, CEO of St Patrick’s Mental Health Services, said the campaign uses the medium of film to ‘provide a positive space for students’ and ‘harness their creativity; and to raise awareness about mental health’.

“As always, the entries to this year’s competition were of extremely high calibre and highlight the incredible talent, tenacity, and vital role that young people can play in inspiring conversations about mental health. 

“We were extremely grateful to partner with Screen Ireland for this year’s Frame of Mind competition, working together towards a shared goal of educating young people about mental health and encouraging them to explore new creative outlets and avenues,” he added.

The winning films were selected by a panel of expert judges including Michael Doherty, Movies Editor from the RTÉ Guide.

First-place entrants in each category won a €1,000 cash prize for their school or education centre, while runners-up received €500.

Désirée Finnegan, Chief Executive of Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, said: "This year's initiative has been a fantastic opportunity for students to develop and showcase their skills in filmmaking and storytelling on screen, helping raise mental health awareness. Our sincere congratulations to all of the students and schools that participated, and to the shortlisted and winning films."

All shortlisted, and winning films are available to watch on Walk in My Shoes’ YouTube channel.

See Youthreach Ballinrobe’s ‘Saving Sadie’ below.