Bunscoill Ghaelgagh’s entry into the FilmG Scottish Gaelic Media Service film competition has been shortlisted for the Inspiration Award.

The Manx language school in St John’s entered the annual competition for the first time last year.

More than 50 films have been shortlisted out of more than a record 160-plus entries, received from across Scotland, the Isle of Man and Canada.

Class teacher Aalin Clague told Island Life: ‘Bunscoill Ghaelgagh decided to enter the annual FilmG Scottish Gaelic Media Service film competition again this year, after finding it a very rewarding and challenging experience creating their first entry last year.

‘The theme this year was “my point of view” and the children in the top class at Bunscoill decided to interpret this through a subject they had been discussing in their Rivers topic - who does the water in a river belong to.’

The children wrote a story in Manx about a village in danger after their river dries up and they can’t fish, due to a dam built upstream for irrigation.

They chose characters, wrote a script and made sock puppets as characters, initially filming the story using green screen. However, when they watched it back they weren’t happy with the quality and decided to film a live action version instead.

Aalin said that she was impressed with their resilience and critical decision making after all the time and effort they had invested in the puppets.

Meanwhile, former Bunscoill pupils who were involved in last year’s project entered this year’s competition with a stop-animation about the buggane of St Trinian’s.

They made the film, entitled Shee y Vuggane, during their Manx Gaelic enrichment club at Queen Elizabeth II High School.

Aalin said that all the pupils were inspired and motivated by a visit from tutor Megan Dale who came over from Astar Media in Scotland to advise.

Bunscoill Ghaelgagh will find out whether they have won the Innovation Award in the under-18 category with An Dam at an awards night in Glasgow on February 23.

The FilmG Choice Awards, decided by public vote, will also be announced then.

Voting is open until midnight on February 2. Watch the films and vote online at www.filmg.co.uk/youth-films-2022/?lang=en