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Filmmaker Garry Moore must think that awards are like buses.You wait a while and then two come along at once! October’s been a great month for Garry. After scooping a top international award, the Sunderland-based filmmaker went on to take a prize closer to home. All in a matter of days…

The first one came from the U.S based After Hours Film Society Competition which recognises and promotes the work of student filmmakers from around the world. It’s judged by a formidable panel of film professionals and academics who have an appreciation of creativity and originality.

Garry’s edgy film Cherry Pop scooped Best Drama and a $500 prize in the competition - a real achievement considering that his work pulls no punches and is firmly rooted in the North East. The film - which is about a young girl and her search for love and identity - was screened at the event in Illinois earlier this month. One judge described it as ‘the best film he had seen at the festival in all the years it had been running’.

Days later Garry’s DigitalCity fundedGive it to Me beat nine other films to the audience award at Clip: Stockton Festival of Short Film. The film which is about two disabled people starting a relationship, was filmed in 2007 and stars Craig Samson and former Byker Grove actress Holly Matthews.

Former Cleveland College of Art & Design student Garry has directed over 30 films since 2004 and is currently coming to the end of an MA at the University of Sunderland. He’s also putting the finishing touches to a film called Sad Bear which stars eight year old Sunderland actress Gemma Dodsworth.