International Film Awards (2010)
Eight films were selected to receive an award at the Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival 2008. The festival’s international film submission saw over 100 entries from Australia, the US, Canada and Europe, as well as community groups, students and industry professionals based in Scotland.
This year’s winning films explore issues ranging from autism, sexual abuse and learning disabilities to brain injury, art therapy and new approaches by schools in tackling behavioural issues.
The Jury Prize went to Elizabeth Stopford for I’m Not Dead Yet, a documentary chronicling the bitter tug-of-war between estranged twin sisters for the affections of their elderly mother, capturing the unravelling of a family consumed by the legacy of four decades of silence and denial.
Best Long Documentary, The Nurture Room, follows three Glasgow school children as their lives are transformed under the careful eye and patient nurturing of their dedicated teacher.
Whilst Best Short Documentary, Different Lives, Same Damage, sees people share their experiences, feelings and coping strategies for living with alcohol related brain damage.
The Drama Award went to two joint winners; In the Dark by Shyla Lee, a short moving film exploring abusive childhood experiences and how they can affect later life, and Art Therapy by Concept&Graft, a drama following the members of a secure psychiatric hospital’s art therapy class as they undertake a film project, highlighting the importance of who writes our stories.
The film-makers will receive their awards at the SMHAFF Film Awards Ceremony at Filmhouse, Edinburgh on Monday 18 October, where clips of the winning films will be screened.
Presenting awards will be the Director of the newly formed Creative Scotland, Andrew Dixon. He will be joined by Geoff Huggins, Head of Mental Health for the Scottish Government who was also a judge on this year’s panel, and Andrew McCulloch, CEO of the Mental Health Foundation.
Award Winners
Jury Prize
Winner
I’m Not Dead Yet
Elizabeth Stopford
UK, 2008
60m
I’m Not Dead Yet is a film about the inheritance of a gothic home, and a family’s unspoken past. The film chronicles a bitter tug-of-war between estranged twin sisters for the affections of their elderly mother and the inheritance of the family estate. Directed by granddaughter Elizabeth, I’m Not Dead Yet perfectly captures the unravelling of a family consumed by the legacy of four decades of silence and denial.
Best Long Documentary
Highly Commended
The Nurture Room
Matt Pinder
UK, 2009
90m
Three Glasgow school children have their lives totally transformed under the careful and patient nurturing of their dedicated teachers as a result of a major survey of teachers who said that behaviour in primary schools was deteriorating and affecting the ability to teach. The nurture rooms are a bridge between home and school: a safe place where children can be children.
Best Short Documentary
Winner
Different Lives, Same Damage
Sitar Rose
Scotland, 2014
25m
People in Ayrshire who have Alcohol Related Brain Damage share their experiences, feelings and the strategies they use to manage their lives. With contributions from family members, carers and professionals, they bring attention to the fact that long term heavy drinking can permanently damage the brain as well as the liver.
Best Short Documentary
Highly Commended
Sanctuary
Abigail Howkins
Scotland, 2009
21m
Commissioned by the Sanctuary Project, which aims to improve the health and wellbeing in new communities in Scotland, this hard-hitting documentary explores the impact of seeking asylum on mental health.
Drama
Joint Winner
In the Dark
Shyla Lee
UK, 2010
5m
This short film deals with abusive childhood experiences and how they can affect later life.
Drama
Joint Winner
Art Therapy
David Council
UK, 2009
8m
In ‘Art Therapy’, a secure psychiatric hospital’s art therapy class members undertake a film project. Outside the hospital environment we learn that one patient’s story is more complex than her doting teacher suspects. Art Therapy asks us to consider the importance of who writes our stories with formal inventiveness and dark humour.
Animation
Winner
A is for Autism
Tim Webb
UK, 1992
11m
This award winning short animated film, directed by Tim Webb in 1992, is a glimpse into the condition of autism, with words, drawings, music and animation all contributed by people with autism.
Carers Award
Winner
Water
Sarah Shaw and Corrie Jones
UK, 2009
18m
Toby yearns for life like any other 8 year old kid, but his mentally disabled father is a constant reminder that life will never be normal.
First Person Narrative Award
Winner
Twinkletoes
Tom Hadley
UK, 2010
7m
Twinkletoes is Gerry’s cat. He may be ‘just a toy’, but to Gerry he is crucial to the rituals that constitute her daily life.
Submit Your Film
The Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival (SMHAF) will return from 19 October to 8 November 2026 for its 20th year.
Film submissions are open until Friday 17 April 2026. Find full guidelines and eligibility criteria on our FilmFreeway listing.
