King for a Day - Winner of the Folklore Society's Doc Rowe Award, 2025

"This multi-faceted entry impressed the judges not simply on the merits of being a powerful film with beautiful cinematography and well-considered editing, but also because it reflects a broader ongoing community engagement project that is exemplary on ethical and practical levels. To the potential disappointment of some, and despite stunning footage captured of the custom, this film is not a documentary overview of the tradition of the Obby Oss tradition in Padstow. Rather, in following key families connected to the tradition and in documenting public screenings of newly-accessed archive footage, the viewer gets an insight into the significance of the Obby Oss to individuals and the broader community. This allows for nuanced discussions throughout the film from those connected to the Obby Oss on broader concepts like emigration and Cornish identity, demonstrating that tradition does not exist in a vacuum but within wider societal and cultural contexts. Those being filmed are obviously comfortable with the film-maker, and this makes sense given that the film is part of a broader community project in which community participants are involved at every step, be it the making of the film or the making accessible of archival footage in Padstow. That the project is also financially transparent, helping support the Obby Oss partied through the proceeds of the film, further exemplifies a deeply ethical stance that is embodied in all aspects of the project. 'King for a Day' is an excellent example for film-makers and community workers of how to make a project with a community and, as such, it is an apposite winner of the Doc Rowe Award."