A multi-award-winning young filmmaker from Powys has been nominated in the ‘outstanding individuals’ section of the 2023 National Lottery Awards.

Eden Quine-Taylor, 19, from Brecon, has been shortlisted in the Young Hero category in the outstanding individual section of this year’s awards for her captivating work in telling stories about humanity and exploring behaviour and relationships in today’s world. The National Lottery Awards are the annual celebration of ordinary individuals and organisations who do extraordinary things with the help of National Lottery funding.

This year, 3,780 people and projects throughout the UK were nominated for the National Lottery Awards in recognition of their unwavering efforts to improve their community. After a panel sifted through the thousands of nominations, Eden is now one of only five young people across the UK shortlisted for a Young Hero Award, waiting to see if she will be crowned outstanding UK individual in her category. Eden has been developing her craft in filmmaking from an early age with support from the National Lottery-funded charity, Into Film. The UK's leading charity for film in education aims to put film at the heart of children's and young people’s educational, cultural, and personal development. Through her films, Eden has been raising awareness around issues such as bullying. She is also an ambassador for charities helping people with rare skin diseases, which she herself has experience of. 

Eden Quine-Taylor has previously been named as 'One To Watch'
Eden Quine-Taylor has previously been named as 'One To Watch' (Eden Quine-Taylor)

The Welsh filmmaker has received multiple awards for her work over the years, something she does alongside her full-time university studies. She is also an ambassador for the anti-bullying charity Kidscape and a spokesperson for CMTC-OVM, a non-profit organisation for patients with rare vascular diseases, which Eden has.

Eden first went into filmmaking at the age of 13, with her film Happy Ever After winning an award at a youth film festival in California. She later won Best Film (12-15) at the Into Film Awards and was named a Pauline Quirke Academy Changemaker in 2019 before winning the U21 Rising Star Award at the BAFTA-recognised Carmarthen Bay Film Festival in 2020.A member of the Youth Advisory Council for Into Film Cymru until last year, Eden’s film, I’m the One, was named Best Film (11-15) in 2020, and was valued so highly by the team at Into Film, it was adapted into a health and wellbeing resource which formed a basis for discussing the challenges of mental health with young people. 

In 2022, Eden won the “Ones to Watch” award from Into Film, in partnership with BFI Film Academy. Delighted to be nominated as a finalist,  Eden said: “It’s a real honour that The National Lottery would consider me for this award and think that my work is worthy of recognition. As an ambassador for Kidscape and CMTC, it is my hope that through my films and as a filmmaker, young people will feel encouraged to do what inspires them and, most importantly, believe in themselves.”

During the summer, a panel made up of representatives of The National Lottery and partners from across the UK will decide the winners in each of the individual categories. Winners will be revealed in the Autumn and will receive a £5,000 cash prize for their organisation and a coveted National Lottery Awards trophy.  

Jonathan Tuchner, from The National Lottery, said: “The National Lottery Awards honour those who have stepped up and have gone the extra mile to make a difference in their communities, especially during these challenging times.

Thanks to National Lottery players and the £30 million raised each week for good causes, thousands of individuals throughout the UK, like Eden, have been making an incredible difference in their areas, and this is our chance to highlight and celebrate the exceptional work of these selfless local heroes.”  

The outstanding individual section of this year’s National Lottery Awards honours unsung heroes in the following categories: 

•    Culture, Arts & Film 

•    Heritage 

•    Sport 

•    Community/Charity

 •    Environment 

•    Young Hero Award (for someone under the age of 25)

•    Special Achievement 

In addition to the outstanding individual category, an online public vote will be held this year to find The National Lottery’s UK Project of the Year. These nominees will be whittled down to 16 finalists, with a UK-wide public vote in September deciding the winner.