Halton Student Film Festival celebrates creativity and collaboration across the HDSB
The HDSB’s Halton Student Film Festival, known as The Eddies, celebrated its 21st anniversary on May 12, 2025 at the FirstOntario Arts Centre Milton. With more than 300 attendees, the event was an exciting showcase of student talent, creativity and collaboration.
Open to all secondary students in the HDSB, The Eddies serves as a celebration of both creative storytelling and technical excellence in filmmaking. This year’s festival received more than 110 submissions that were judged by professionals from the film and television industry. The evening featured awards in 11 genre categories, nine technical areas and concluded with the prestigious Palme D’Eddie grand prize. Students from nine secondary schools across the HDSB received awards. Winning films were screened for the audience, giving students the chance to share their work and celebrate one another's achievements.
The Eddies brings together students and staff from across the HDSB in every facet of the event’s execution. The opening video was produced by students at Abbey Park HS, and Garth Webb SS played a major role in the technical execution of the show, with students creating motion graphics for each award category, running the playback and hosting the evening. Catering was provided by the Hospitality program at Craig Kielburger SS, and the festival’s promotional poster was designed by Aaliyah Goring, a White Oaks SS student who won the annual design contest.
Grade 12 Nelson HS students Noah Kwon, Max Marino and Nolan Perrault’s film Study Night received first prize in the Suspense/Horror category, won a technical award for special effects and placed second in the competition’s overall award, the Palme D’Eddie. The group only had access to their phones for filming, but were able to use an app that provided them with manual control over the phone’s camera settings, allowing them to create an award-winning project with limited equipment. Noah says, “This experience helped me learn more about colour grading and cinematography techniques that I will carry with me in my future years of filmmaking ahead.”
Noah’s advice to other filmmakers: “Tell a story that matters to you. When you are passionate about an idea, it shows in each frame. Filmmaking is a team effort. Find people that share the same vision and passion as you do. We made the film without the intention of submitting it to The Eddies—we were just passionate about an idea. Your goal shouldn’t be to win; it should be to connect with your audience, creating something that lasts beyond the screen.”
Nate Bodenham, a Grade 12 student from Nelson HS, won the festival’s top prize along with Kieran Finnigan, Nour Mikhiel, Damian Le Blanc and Jamie Gareau for their film: A Joker Story. The film also received technical awards for Cinematography and Production Design. Nate says: “It’s validating to see a year's worth of hard work, and the years it took learning to get to this point finally be rewarded. I can’t begin to express how grateful I am that I was given this opportunity to receive such a prize, but to also be given such exposure and praise from such talented people.”
Nate shares the following advice for students who are interested in participating in next year’s Halton Student Film Festival: “Perfection doesn’t exist, so don’t seek it. Focus on discovering your “x factor”—what makes your work completely unique and stand out from the rest. What might seem weird might be something that's never been done before, so go for it.”
"The Eddies are an exceptional opportunity for students to be a part of a larger group who love to create and direct short films, and share in each other's work.” says Nelson HS teacher Duncan Warrener. “Students from different schools both inspire and are inspired by each other as they watch the creations. The admiration and support is mutual for all participants, because they understand the time and care put into each project. As a Comm Tech teacher, it's amazing for me to see the energy that the students bring to the event and the pride they have for their work."
"The Halton Film Festival is a powerful celebration of student creativity, where secondary students from across the HDSB showcase their voices through film,” says Tiffany Olmsted, Specialist High Skills Majors Co-Lead for the Halton District School Board. “With industry professionals from our local community serving as judges, the festival not only uplifts emerging talent but also strengthens the vital connection between our schools and the broader community—a true reflection of the HDSB's commitment to Kindness, Connection and Community in our Multi-Year Strategic Plan."
