Welsh filmmaker hailed as trailblazing talent in the industry

Eden Quine-Taylor, 19, from Brecon directed her first short film 'I'm the One' aged just 14, funded by The National Lottery, which went on to win Best Film (11-15) at the 2020 Into Film Awards.

Noted as 'one to watch' ever since, Quine-Taylor's success is now being celebrated at this year's BFI London Film Festival, with The National Lottery teaming up with the BFl to create the 'Walk of Stars'.

This installation which was on London's South Bank, the heart of the festival, celebrates some of the incredible talent behind brilliant films and rising stars of the UK film industry supported by The National Lottery through the BFI.

And to see her name shining among so many filmmakers she looks up to was a wonderful surprise for the Welshwoman.

"It's amazing and I'm so honoured to be a part of this," she said.

"It was a surprise because I'm lucky enough to know some of these amazing filmmakers myself and I couldn't really comprehend that The National Lottery would see me as worthy of something like that.

"It's really inspiring me to keep doing what I'm doing and keep motivated."

Quine-Taylor began making films from a very young age to entertain herself in the Welsh countryside.

But it was her single take film, on the basis of not judging a book by its cover, which led the Steven Spielberg enthusiast gaining recognition for her work.

Now a film production student at the Arts University Bournemouth, Quine-Taylor is using film to develop her own skills and educate others on issues close to her heart.

She added: "I loved the possibilities film brought and the joy it gave other people.
"Everyone grows up with their own challenges, for me I grew up with a rare skin disease called CMTC.

"Having something that was physically different as a child has led me to be curious about other people's lives, individual stories and new perspectives.

"When I made 'I'm the One', I was also an ambassador for an anti-bullying charity called Kidscape and they collaborated and created an educational resource from the film which went out to schools across the country.

"That was the first time I found out that film could have such an emotional impact and help people to see things they perhaps hadn't before."

National Lottery players raise around £30 million every week for good causes across the UK and the contribution to the UK film industry is funded through the BFl, making more than 600 films in the past 26 years, which have won an astonishing 504 awards including 16 Oscars, 124 BAFTAs and 33 Cannes awards, from more than 1,868 nominations.

Quine-Taylor is now excited to expand her own film repertoire and continue bolstering her skills with the support of The National Lottery.

"I've been lucky enough to have so many brilliant opportunities," she said.

"I got to interview Barbara Broccoli, I've been on the Youth Advisory Panel for Into Films CYMRU and enter my films into other film festivals which has been amazing exposure.

"The National Lottery has been so supportive and without that funding for the BFI some of those things would not have been possible.

"I love the challenge of looking at a script or writing one and thinking there's no way I could do this but bring the vision to life.

"I'll always take the opportunity to pitch something or create something that people can get excited about and show their own skills when helping make it."