2009 marks the third year of Trailblazers, a joint initiative between the Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) and Skillset showcasing new UK filmmaking talent.

25 Trailblazers were selected from Skillset's Screen Academy Network with their eclectic mix of short films and new names from the EIFF British Film Programme with features in the festival.

Trailblazers is a platform to introduce these filmmakers and actors to the industry; giving them opportunities to source future working partnerships, meet agents and highlight their skills and talent to press. This year the Trailblazers were given their awards by EIFF Patron, Sir Sean Connery.

To read in full the information on this year's Trailblazers, you can download the Trailblazers 2009 brochure here:

Trailblazers 2009 Brochure

You can also see some of the Trailblazers being interviewd on BBC Film Network, click on the link below:

Trailblazers' interviews on BBC Film Network

The Trailblazers selected from the Skillset Screen Academy Network are:

Bournemouth Skillset Screen & Media Academy
David Bell, TOY, Writer/Director/Producer/Animator
Momodou Musa Touray, SWEET MOTHER, Director

Edinburgh Skillset Screen & Media Academy
Eva Pervolovici, DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE, Director
Shehzad Afzal, DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE, Producer
Amy Rose, KIRRAN AND THE HATCHMAKER, Director

The London Film School, A Skillset Screen Academy
Erik Bostedt, CAPTURING SPACE, Director

The National Film and Television School, A Skillset Screen & Media Academy
Ralitza Petrova, BY THE GRACE OF GOD, Director
Michelle Eastwood, BY THE GRACE OF GOD, Producer
Stuart Earl, BY THE GRACE OF GOD, Composer
Vanessa Stockley, EMMA & BEN, Director / Cinematographer
Mikael Svartdahl, EMMA & BEN, Editor

Skillset Screen Academy at London College of Communication & Ealing Institute of Media
Tatiana Korol,AKBULAK, Director/ Screenwriter
Kasia Sobocinska,AKBULAK,Cinematographer

Skillset Screen Academy Wales
Robert Evans,CRESCENDO, Animator
Michael O'Sullivan,CRESCENDO, Animator

10 Trailblazers had features screening at EIFF. These are:

Emily Beecham, The Calling, Actor

Leigh Campbell,K I C K S, Screenwriter

Lawrence Gough, Salvage, Director

Kerrie Hayes, K I C K S, Actor

Stuart Hazeldine, Exam,Director/ Producer / Screenwriter

Katie Jarvis, Fish Tank, Actor*

Gerard Johnson,Tony, Director/Screenwriter

Bryan Larkin, Running in Traffic, Actor/ Screenwriter

Justin Molotnikov, Crying with Laughter, Director

Kyle Ward, A Boy Called Dad, Actor

*Congratulations to Katie Jarvis, who won the PPG Award for Best Performance in a British Feature Film at the EIFF awards.

If your computer has the relevant software, click the document icons or document titles to view the relevant document. Right-click (PC) or hold your mouse-button down (Mac) on the document icon/title, you'll be given the option to save the file to disk. If you don't have the necessary software to view the documents, take the above links to download free reader programs.