Film Society of the Year Awards

The award categories are:

• The Engholm Prize for Film Society of the Year
  The top award is made to the society considered by the judges to be vigorous and dynamic in providing all of the qualities outlined for the individual categories, showing matchless customer service, creativity and sometimes progression in unfavourable circumstances.
• Best Film Programming
  This award recognises the society that demonstrates that they are delivering a premium selection of films. Their members are fortunate to receive breadth, intelligence and freshness. Seasons under consideration may be themed or streamed but all should offer choice and quality.
• Best Programme Notes
  Whether they have used handouts on a screening-by-screening basis, a glossy catalogue or new media, the winning society will be one that has put exceptional time and effort into educating the membership with literate, accurate and assessable information.
• Best Marketing
  This winner will have shown originality and enterprise in getting their message across. Using stimulating concepts or novel techniques, they will be attracting new members, then retaining and informing them.
• Best Website
  Recognising that the transmission of information is no longer the exclusive domain of posters, leaflets and programme notes, this award recognises the film society that makes best use of the internet to communicate with members and non-members alike. The judges will primarily consider accessibility, usability, clarity and adherence to standards in support of these aims; quality of design will be examined, but only as a secondary element.
• Community Award
  All film societies grow from, serve and are a vital part of their community. The winner of this award will have provided exemplary service to its community by, for example, celebrating its community’s own cultural diversity, providing for specific identified needs, undertaking a planned community based project, outreach work or working directly with particular sections of their community such as schools and disabled or elderly people.
• Best New Society
  This will be a society in their first or perhaps second year that stands out from most from their contemporaries. Having grown from nothing to offering a wide selection of films, the winner will be serving the requirements of their membership excellently. In addition, they may have a novel concept or be transcending some obstacle.
• Best Student Society
  Based at and run by or for the students of an educational establishment, be it university, college, institute or school. The winning society, whilst characterising the best qualities of the movement, conspicuously serves the needs of its constituency.
• The Charles Roebuck Cup
  The members of BFFS are film societies and so most of the annual awards are for societies. This one, however, is for one of those remarkable individuals who start film societies, keep the federation going and support the movement in all sorts of ways, often over many years. It was donated by Charles Roebuck, a life-long cinema enthusiast and national officer of the BFFS.