This is what youth-led environmental advocacy looks like. Twelve transition-year students from Knockbeg College proved that young voices matter when they claimed the National Best Film Award at the Rubbish Film Festival final, held at the Light House Cinema in Dublin. Their film, Whispers of the Forest, stood out among fierce competition from schools across the country – a real testament to the power of creative storytelling in the fight for climate action.
The 60-second film tackles deforestation and pollution through a haunting narrative that lingers long after the credits roll. Following main character Eddie Keenan through a forest, the film gradually reveals the violence of environmental destruction through a striking visual metaphor: a tree wrapped in a bloodied bandage being operated on by a group of doctors. It’s powerful filmmaking that doesn’t need to shout to make its point. The film incorporates sobering statistics, including the fact that ten million hectares of forest are lost yearly to deforestation, culminating in a final message that hits home: 2,400 trees have been cut down in the time it took to watch the film.
The Numbers Behind the Victory:
12 TY students | 1 award-winning film | 60 seconds of impact | 20 regional awards ceremonies | 1,800+ students across 160 schools participating nationally
Behind every frame is a team of young creators; director Eoghan Mitchell, editors Michael Healy and Ryan Matthews Abraham, and a cast and crew who transformed a vision into reality. This is exactly what the Rubbish Film Festival exists to inspire: young people using their creativity, their cameras, and their voices to spotlight the issues that matter.
Since 2016, the Rubbish Film Festival has encouraged students to explore pressing environmental issues through creative storytelling, blending digital media skills with sustainability education to inspire the next generation of climate champions.
Congratulations to Knockbeg College and all the regional winners who made it to the national final. Solid proof that young filmmakers aren’t just observers of change – they’re catalysts for it. Whispers of the Forest is a masterclass in how to use your voice to shake the world awake.
Watch Whispers of the Forest for yourself, here: youtu.be/2HXp-s1DMdg
Original article published in the Laois Nationalist
