Mercer wins Best Film at UK-wide awards

Mercer MacWilliam Hughes won the award after it was judged best film by a panel of industry experts including legendary James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli.

The Lisburn student won the top prize in the 16-19 category for his ten-minute short ‘Bob’s Your Uncle’ about a bickering brother and sister who embark on a treasure hunt left to them by their late uncle Bob in his will.

He said: “Winning the award is a validation of a lot of hard work.

“I’d like to thank my younger brother Aaron and my friend Rachel Rankin who played the two lead roles. They were extremely patient and resilient.”

Now in their seventh year, the Into Film Awards honour the most talented and innovative young filmmakers, reviewers and Into Film Clubs, highlighting the wealth of tomorrow’s creative talent.

They were due to take place at a live event at Odeon Leicester Square earlier this year but had to be cancelled because of Covid-19.

Mercer, who is now 20, is studying Film Production in Bournemouth but says he wants to return to work in Northern Ireland’s film industry when he finishes his degree.

“There is so much going on in Northern Ireland and it is accessible particularly with the programmes offered by Into Film, BFI, NI Screen, Cinemagic and the QFT. I definitely want to come back after university to pursue my career,” he said.

Mercer, who grew up in a very creative household, started making his own films from the age of five.

Bob’s Your Uncle, which draws inspiration from the visuals and narratives of Wes Anderson, took seven months to complete, involving ten gruelling shoot days, and a huge amount of dedication from his team of collaborators.

It uses various locations around Northern Ireland including Belfast Central Library.

Mercer added: “This is the most ambitious and longest project I’ve attempted so far, with ten minutes of runtime, but it is also by far my most personal.

“Bob’s Your Uncle attempts to capture my experience of the nuanced rivalries and viewpoints in a sibling relationship, and I cannot thank my brother Aaron enough for sticking by me through this project.”

The film can be viewed online at https://vimeo.com/385430723