17:00, 29 April 2026
Words by Cheyanne Bryan, Editorial and Campaign Marketing Executive, London
Returning for its ninth year, the Smiley Charity Film Awards once again spotlights the transformative power of storytelling. The awards were made to celebrate filmmakers and organisations using creativity to foster empathy and drive social change, featuring everything from intimate personal narratives to sweeping global campaigns.
This year’s winners, ranging from local grassroots groups to international charities, demonstrated cinema’s unique ability to amplify vital causes and inspire audiences worldwide.
Each project served as a powerful reminder that creativity is a fundamental tool for tackling urgent issues and celebrating human resilience.
Drumroll for the films please….
The prestigious Film of the Year (Grand Prix) was awarded to StreetDoctors for The Fatal Question, a hard-hitting and thought-provoking piece that clearly resonated with both judges and viewers.
To find out more about the film including what judges have to say head here.
Meanwhile, the People’s Choice Award went to RSPCA – England & Wales for Alesha and Roy, highlighting the emotional connection audiences felt with its powerful narrative.
Gold: Trybe House Theatre – If Home Is Where The Heart Is
Silver: YESfest – All Together Now - For Planet Earth
Bronze: Pill & District Food Hub – Pill & District Food Hub
Gold: Face Equality International – Join The Fight for face equality
Silver: Parents For Future – Protect Our Kids’ Futures
Bronze: Carmarthen Youth Project – The Young Person Crisis
Gold: Ruddi's Retreat – Ruddi's Retreat - The Christmas Advert
Silver: Criminal Justice Alliance – The Cycle
Bronze: The Robin Cancer Trust – My Big Ballsy Challenge
Gold: Electric Umbrella – It’s Not A Crime To Be Different — Electric Umbrella x Hertfordshire Constabulary
Silver: The Migraine Trust – Migraine Means
Bronze: Sussex Cancer Fund – Not Just A Story
Gold: Staffordshire Women’s Aid – Celebrating 50 Years of Staffordshire Women’s Aid
Silver: Auditory Verbal UK – First Day
Bronze: Women in Sport – Dear Sport: A Break-up Story
Gold: Child Bereavement UK – Room for an Elephant
Silver: Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity – A Very Very Big Difference
Bronze: Humanists UK – Introducing Faith to Faithless
Gold: Cornwall Hospice Care – Cornwall Hospice Care | 45 Years
Silver: The Conservation Volunteers – TCV I Dig Trees – Join the Movement
Bronze: Brain Tumour Research – What Does Hope Mean to You?
Gold: Samaritans – Help Bring Someone’s Future Back
Silver: ShelterBox – Imelda Staunton’s Christmas Gift Fail
Bronze: Dementia UK – Open Conversations About Dementia
Gold: Save the Children UK – Don’t Mention the Children
Silver: Canal & River Trust – Birdwatcher
Bronze: Mind – Stop the Snowball
Gold: Climb2Recovery – Climb 2 Recovery
Silver: UK LSD Collaborative – Hadid and I
Bronze: The Who is Hussain Foundation – Hussain: Inspiring Generations
Gold: Rural Media Charity – Jordan Stephens & the Breaking Out Boys – The Interview
Silver: Seescape / Fife Society for the Blind – Visions of Hope
Bronze: East Surrey Domestic Abuse Services – From Darkness to Light
Gold: Prior’s Court – The Long Road
Silver: RSPB – Return
Bronze: Environmental Justice Foundation – Adrift: Senegal’s coastal crisis and the deadly route to Europe
Gold: WeProtect Global Alliance – Protect Us
Silver: Wildlife SOS – My Sweet Paro
Bronze: Life for a Child – Life for a Child 25
Gold: Royal College of Nursing – This is Nursing
Silver: Big Issue – Issues We Face
Bronze: Lush Cosmetics – Behind the Scenes of Lush Advent Calendar 2025
Bronze: Southampton Football Club – White Ribbon Day | We Speak Up
These films were voted on by the public.
Gold: Billy & Beyond – Live by Choice Not by Chance
Silver: Trybe House Theatre – If Home Is Where The Heart Is
Bronze: Sunderland Headlight – Any one of us
Gold: OneKind – Don’t Pet Me
Silver: Face Equality International – Join The Fight for face equality
Bronze: Headliners – In Charge of My Story
Gold: Shropshire Cat Rescue – Rudy Reporting on the Importance of Neutering
Silver: Operation Orphan – Forget-Me-Notts: Tackling Bed Poverty, One Bed At A Time
Bronze: StreetDoctors – The Fatal Question
Gold: Carefree – Michael’s Story: Change Happens Overnight
Silver: Naturewatch Foundation – A Tail of Two Dogs
Bronze: Dravet Syndrome UK – What Is Love When Living with Dravet Syndrome?
Gold: British Hen Welfare Trust – Celebrating Two Decades of Hen Rehoming
Silver: Bipolar UK – Maybe It’s Bipolar?
Bronze: Read For Good – The Magic of Stories
Gold: Kinship – In the Same Boat
Silver: Humanists UK – Introducing Faith to Faithless
Bronze: Beat – Eating Disorders Can Affect Anyone
Gold: Hampshire & Isle of Wight Air Ambulance – Operation Airbase
Silver: Born Free – Wildlife Heroes Episode One
Bronze: Cure Parkinson’s – A Question of Time: help find a cure for Parkinson's
Gold: Mountbatten Isle of Wight – The Letter
Silver: LOROS Hospice – Ryan’s Story
Bronze: Ronald McDonald House Charities UK – Still Fighting - Harry’s Story
Gold: The Donkey Sanctuary – Stolen Donkeys, Stolen Futures
Silver: Cats Protection – If Cats Could Talk, What Would They Say?
Bronze: Sense – Sense Awards 2025 - Person of the year
Gold: The Compassionate Friends – Take That Step
Silver: Butterfly Thyroid Cancer Trust – My Thyroid and Me: A Young Person's Cancer Story
Bronze: The Who is Hussain Foundation – Hussain: Inspiring Generations
Gold: World Villages for Children – Irmas: The Life of the Sisters of Mary
Silver: Cash for Kids – Finding Hope
Bronze: Suicide&Co – Heirlooms
Gold: Essex & Herts Air Ambulance Trust – Navigating Grief
Silver: Chance to Shine – 20 Years of Chance to Shine
Bronze: Prior’s Court – The Long Road
Gold: Grupo Mulheres do Brasil – Fios de Encontro
Silver: Seal Rescue Ireland – Leave Seals Alone
Bronze: E.D.I. Madagascar – Madagascar: The Beauty and Challenges