Recent awards: Sick in Houston, Tantric Tourists in London and I Refuse To Forget wins feature funds

A quick roundup of recent award winners 

We're pleased to hear that Alexander Snelling's debut feature Tantric Tourists, covered here recently, picked up the Best UK Debut at the East London Film Festival, where it had its Gala Premiere.  

Mike Rymer's 15k short Sick, dealing with mental illness, has picked up the Gold award at the 41st Houston Film Festival. Endorsed by the Samaritans, the film looks at anxiety and depression and was funded almost entirely by NHS charitable trusts after development at the Wales Screen Academy.

Meanwhile the winner of online community Filmaka 's web contest has been anounced as I Refuse to Forget by 21-year-old Nuru Rimington-Mkal. The tender tail of sensory memories of love won acclaim from Jury member Neil LaBute. Nuru will now, apparently, get to direct his own feature, funded by Filmmaka. Next year's contest, with the prize of getting a feature produced, has been announced with the theme of 'Behind Closed Doors'.