Northern Ireland Community Relations Council - About Us - News - Peace II funded project Sarah Moves on gets award

06 September 2005

“Sarah Moves On”, a children’s drama, produced by Westway Film Productions of Derry for Channel 4 and N.I. Community Relations Council, is one of this year’s winners of a Clarion Award.

Westway Film Productions Join Global Leaders in Corporate Responsibility

LONDON, UK –

On September 7^th, at the Lewis Media Centre, Millbank, Westminister, London leading figures from the communications industry, business, government and the arts will come together for the annual Clarion Awards presentation. The awards celebrate the finest examples of responsible communication on Corporate Social Responsibility, Sustainable Development, Cultural/Social Aspiration and Social Inclusion.

“Sarah Moves On”, a children's drama, produced by Westway Film Productions of Derry for Channel 4 and N.I. Community Relations Council, is one of this year's winners of a Clarion Award. The drama, directed by Westway's Órlagh Bann, depicts the life of nine-year-old Sarah, played by local schoolgirl Megan Canavan, as she struggles to find happiness amid sectarian and family tensions in Northern Ireland.

This year's ceremony reflects the increasing competition surrounding the Clarions with 30 awards being presented across all media platforms including video, interactive media, websites, live performance arts, radio, television, mainstream film, and paper based materials. Among other recipients of the award were the film Hotel Rwanda, the stage play of Billy Elliot and the channel BBC 4, for its contribution to public service broadcasting. As Joe Mahon of Westway Films says “It's always gratifying to have your work recognised and in the past we have enjoyed considerable success with industry awards. But on this occasion, we are particularly gratified because the Clarion Awards recognise the social agenda of our drama. Education through drama is a difficult blend to achieve and the N.I. Community Relations Council put a lot of faith in us at the outset so we are delighted they are able to share in this acknowledgement of the impact of “Sarah Moves On.”

As Wayne Drew, Chief Executive of the IVCA says “This year's Clarion Awards have gained a momentum all their own. We've had a considerable amount of interest from across the spectrum of media, commerce and the arts. Their mission reflects a wider belief in business and society that communications can be motivational, inspiring and dynamic. There is a clear recognition that all of our

work, whether in a corporate environment, on stage, in cinema or broadcast to people's homes, can not only be engaging and effective but, occasionally, truly aspirational too.”

The Clarion awards are increasingly respected for their independence and prestige within the communications industry. As Katy Eyre, Managing Director of Jacaranda says “Rather than awards for glossy 'PR Puffery', the Clarions have credible and rigorous judging processes that rightly accolade communication projects with deep integrity and total transparency.”