With the United Nations’ World Water Week making waves in New York for the first time in 46 years right now, timing couldn’t be better that among the winners of the 2023 Smiley Charity Film Awards this week, numerous organisations that place water at the heart of what they do can be counted.

Yes, while the Big Apple hosts a week-long event of educational conferences and innovation-driven thought leadership all on the topic of the world’s water resources, London paid its own homage, listing organisations including Wave Project, Charity: Water, WRAP Recycle, and The Women Fish Farmers – Senega – World Connect amongst its Smiley Charity Film Awards winners.

Bringing the too often unsung heroes of the charity sector together in the heart of London’s West End this week, the Smiley Charity Film Awards – housed in the Odeon Luxe in Leicester Square – set about celebrating the power of film while shining a light on the inspiring work of charities throughout the UK.

A roster of stars, including Sadie Frost and Donna Air joined host Tom Allen in celebrating the shortlist of finalists across the charity film sector as the ceremony put the behind-the-scenes talent from the likes of Teenage Cancer Trust, Action Aid International, and the Harry Kane Foundation front and centre of the evening’s proceedings.

The grand award of Charity Film of the Year 2023 went to the Welsh Refugee Council for its title Wales is a Nation of Sanctuary, a one-minute feature calling out the UK government’s Nationality and Borders Bill and the impact it will have upon those seeking sanctuary from persecutions in their own countries, while the People’s Choice Film of the Year 2023 went to Brooke Action for Working Horses and Donkeys.

On the global scene, the Bicester Collection International Impact award went to World Connect Inc for its work alongside the women fish farmers of Ndombo Sandjiry in Senegal.

The importance of water and our relationship with it continued to be a highlight of the evening’s winners as the Canal & River Trust took home the People’s Choice award in the £100m+ plus category, pipping both the RSPCA’s The Gift and the RNLI’s A Bedtime Story to the winner post.

In the £20m to £50m category, WRAP Recycle Now’s campaign Let’s Get Real About Recycling took a fast-cut behind the scenes look at life at a recycling plant – and the knowledge gap evident among the public and their relationship with recycling. It’s one-minute feature secured WRAP the top spot in the category this year. Meanwhile, Charity: Water’s campaign Walk for Water – an initiative raising awareness of its work to make clean water accessible for all – secured the win in the £2m to £5m category.

Among the Longform finalists, Action Aid International won the £20m+ category and The Wave Project’s film, Victory of Determination secured the win for charities in the £350k to £5m bracket. With locations around the UK, the Wave Project sets about to improve the mental health and well-being of young people through the power of surf therapy. It’s a charity that through its work goes lengths to show the finely tuned relationship humans can have with water and its importance not only for our population’s survival but well-being.

Other winners of the Smiley Charity Film Awards 2023 include Boys in Mind, The Ones Who Care, Young Westminster Foundation, and Barnardos.

Asda was also named among the winners this year for its Tickled Pink campaign and shortform feature The Real Self Checkout, a film aimed at educating women on checking for signs of breast cancer.

Since its creation in 2017, over 2,500 charities have entered the Charity Film Awards. This year, 25 million people watched the shortlisted film and over 200,000 people tuned in on the night to watch via livestream. Also in attendance on the night were the heads of major UK and international charities such as Choose Love, GreenPeace, and Save the Children, as well as Products of Change’s own Ambassadors Tracey Richardson and Simon Gresswell.

“The 2023 Charity Film Awards ceremony was a triumph. Congratulations to Smiley Movement for a truly fantastic celebration of the sector’s diversity and impact,” said Tracey Richardson who also reprised her role as a judge alongside POC’s Helena Mansell Stopher, of this year’s shortlist.

“The awards really do highlight the power of video to communicate effectively what each organisation does, how it does it and the positive benefits it delivers. It was an honour to be a judge again this year and I’d urge as many charities as possible to enter in 2024, the exposure and awareness resulting from being involved is remarkable.”

Nicholas Loufrani, ceo of Smiley added: “We are honoured to have hosted such a wonderful event and we are grateful to all our guests, sponsors, and partners for their support.

“The Smiley Charity Film Awards is not only an occasion to praise the incredible films created to support the charities, but to shine a very bright light on the work that all the charities do, and to show how they change lives.”