Rob Knox London Film Festival

The Rob Knox Foundation celebrated its 16th and final film festival at Picturehouse Central in London with a sold-out programme of short films by 11 new UK filmmakers, featuring documentaries, genre films and social dramas, followed by an award ceremony. The whole proceedings were hosted by Festival director, filmmaker and Rob’s close friend, Aaron Truss (The Rob Knox Story, Pareidolia) to support knife crime awareness and platform brand new talent in the film industry.

The winners for the final Rob Knox London Film Festival are:

• Best Screenplay: EASY SELL (dir. Ken Abalos, Ash Meshkati)
• Best Editing: GENTLE AS MOSS ON STONE (dir. Vicky Isley, Paul Smith)
• Best Cinematography: LAKE ON THE CABIN (dir. Jem Karto)
• Best Social Film: SEE THE MOTHER (dir. Frank Berry)
• Best Non-Fiction Film: STRANDED (dir. John Moschopoulos)
• Best Supporting Performance: RUTH E. MAKU (LOVEBIRDS)
• Best Performance: MACAULEY KEEPER (AORTIC)
• Best Film: WHEN YOU LEFT ME (dir. Jevan Chowdhury)
• The Rob Knox Legacy Award: MARTIN COSSER & CHARLIE’S PROMISE
• The Industry Choice Award: STRANDED (dir. John Moschopoulos)

The awards were presented by celebrities and industry professionals such as John Altman (EastEnders), Nicholas Vince (Hellraiser, Nightbreed), Graham Humphreys (renowned poster illustrator for The Evil Dead and A Nightmare on Elm Street) and film director Jake West (DogHouse, Razor Blade Smile).

Other presenters included documentarian Sarah Appleton (Found Footage Phenomenon, The J-Horror Virus), actor and musician Joe Acres (Taxi Joe, Pareidolia), director LG White (The Dark Fantastic) and Michael Wearing (the previous Rob Knox Film Festival Director, who has just completed his first feature film). Whilst the film festival will be coming to a close, the Rob Knox Foundation will still be actively fighting and campaigning against knife crime in the UK.

The Rob Knox Legacy Award, which was created in 2023 to honour and celebrate the work of people’s hard work in communities through knife crime and social issues was awarded to Martin Cosser and Charlie’s Promise, a charity set up after the murder of seventeen-year-old Charlie Cosser whilst he was attending a house party in West Sussex. Since his murder, his family have been campaigning to bring knife crime education into schools to help tackle the ongoing knife epidemic. 

Charlie’s mother, Tara Cosser, accepted the award and said: “I know Martin has a huge amount of respect for Colin and Aaron and everyone at the Rob Knox Foundation for what they do for Rob’s legacy. Martin is very honoured and thankful for the recognition that you’ve given him not only for his work with Charlie’s Promise, but also as Charlie’s Dad”.