Equality and Human Rights Commission

At the BAFTAs and the Golden Globes, Kate Winslet was the name on everyone’s lips, but in Wales this weekend it’s five schoolchildren  who will be stealing the show on our cinema screens. 

The five young people from Cardiff scripted a short animation about bullying and prejudice, which the Equality and Human Rights Commission is screening in cinemas across Wales over the next two months. The 45-second film is the result of an Equality and Human Rights Commission in Wales competition that asked young people to come up with an idea for a short film about prejudice and discrimination.

Imogen Buckley, Cameron Hunter, Ben Davies, Sam Wilson and Mathew Johnson  were pupils in the final year of Coryton Primary School, Cardiff, when they entered the competition last spring. Their prize was to have their idea brought to life by award-winning Welsh animation company Calon.

The short film, along with activity resources, is being sent to every school in Wales immediately after the half-term break. The Commission is inviting all schools in Wales to take part in an activity during the last week of term that uses the film. This could include screening it during a school assembly in order to start a conversation  about prejudice and bullying.

Kate Bennett, The Equality and Human Rights Commission’s National Director for Wales, said: “This is about pupils talking to other pupils and helping them to understand what is right and what is wrong. That's the most effective way of challenging prejudice and ignorance. We gave young people the chance to talk to Wales about something they feel deeply about and these five came up with a winner.

“Our Croeso campaign, which organised this competition, bases all of its work on the idea of people talking to each other, rather than fearing or ignoring each other. And to make this point as fully as possible, the film uses the voices of young people from start to finish.”

On the thinking behind their winning idea, Sam Wilson said, 'We chose bullying because it is relevant to schools and we thought about the main reasons children are bullied.' Imogen Buckley said: 'I think sometimes I feel sorry for bullies because they have their own sad reasons for behaving like they do. Our animation makes me feel quite sad because this type of bullying is going on in schools and I want to stop it'. Mathew Johnson said, 'I see no point in prejudice, why can’t we all live in peace?'

Their film, called Your choice, shows a playground bully jeering at other children but then finding himself isolated by all of them. The film is to be shown before feature films in Welsh cinemas from Friday 13 February until early April. Cinema fans that go to watch the film Bolt will be among those to see Your choice being broadcast.

Notes to editors

View the English-language version of the film

A picture of the children is available on request.

The animated film was premiered on Tuesday 15 July 2008 at an event attended by Education Minister Jane Hutt and local celebrities.  The film is now being screened in Welsh cinemas  as part of a campaign.

The Croeso Project is a Good Relations initiative of the Equality and Human Rights Commission in Wales.

The Croeso Project aims to promote discussion and understanding between different communities to help all benefit from and enjoy a diverse Wales.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission is a statutory body established under the Equality Act 2006, which took over the responsibilities of Commission for Racial Equality, Disability Rights Commission and Equal Opportunities Commission.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission is the independent advocate for equality and human rights in Britain. It aims to reduce inequality, eliminate discrimination, strengthen good relations between people, and promote and protect human rights.