Frame of Mind

Our Frame of Mind competition aims to increase mental health awareness and reduce stigma through creative practice.

11 years of creative awareness-raising

Frame of Mind 2025 is a short film competition that aims to raise awareness of positive mental health, normalise conversations around mental health and reduce stigma linked with mental health difficulties in schools and communities.

We are marking 11 years of young people using their creativity to share messages of positive wellbeing, and are inviting students in secondary schools, special education secondary schools, and Further Education Training (FET) centres (including Youthreach) from across Ireland to take part.

2025 competition

We can face many different challenges in life. Whatever these may be, practising gratitude is something that can have a positive effect on our mental health. Regularly acknowledging things we are thankful for can help lead to improved emotional wellbeing.

To enter Frame of Mind 2025, we are asking students to create short films that convey a positive mental health message focused on the theme of gratitude, using short film to express the things they are grateful for and explore the things that positively influence their wellbeing.

Our Walk in My Shoes (WIMS) team is looking forward to seeing your entries.

Prizes

There are a number of great prizes to be won in Frame of Mind 2025. The winners in each category will receive a €1,000 cash prize and the runners-up in each category will be awarded a €500 cash prize. Winners and runners-up will also receive a trophy and certificate.

The brief

Aspiring filmmakers entering Frame of Mind are asked to submit a short film between one to three minutes long. The film should share a positive mental health message based on the competition theme, tackle mental health stereotypes, or help combat stigma.

Entries will be marked on:

how closely they follow the brief
how they keep to the theme
their artistic merit (such as the story, scriptwriting, acting and so on)
technical merit (production, editing, music and so on)
the overall experience (including creativity, entertainment, impact, and enjoyment).

Judging panel

This year’s judges include Michael Doherty, Movie Editor from the RTÉ Guide; Tom Maher, Director of Services at St Patrick’s Mental Health Services (SPMHS); Eibh Collins, Shorts Programmer for the Galway Film Fleadh and Film and TV Manager at the National Talent Academies; and actor and filmmaker John Connors.

This is an amazing opportunity for secondary school students and FET and Youthreach learners who love to create, have an interest in film, or would like something special for a showreel if they wish to have a future career in the film industry.

How to enter

The competition is open to all students in secondary schools, special education secondary schools, and FET (including Youthreach) learners in Ireland.

Teachers must submit on behalf of their students: simply fill out the application form and include public links to the entries in the form.

The closing date for entries is 5pm on Thursday, 13 March 2025. Entries submitted after this date cannot be accepted.

Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in May 2025.

Further details about entry criteria can be found further below.

Submit a Frame of Mind application here.

Terms and conditions

Find out everything you need to know about Frame of Mind below. If you have any further questions, please email WIMS at info@walkinmyshoes.ie.

Who can take part?

The competition is open to all students in secondary schools, special education schools and classes, Youthreach and FET centres in Ireland. A student can enter as part of a group and as an individual entry, with a maximum of two entries. Each application must be submitted on behalf of the student by their teacher or member of school staff. Any entries found to have been submitted by a student will be disqualified from the competition.

Frame of Mind is not open to SPMHS or WIMS employees, members of the judging panel, or their families.
What short films qualify for the competition?

Entries to Frame of Mind should seek to raise awareness about mental health and/or to de-stigmatise mental health issues. Entries should follow the theme of gratitude.

Entries do need to be taken on a camera with a clear picture. Most cameras on smartphones would have high enough quality video to qualify for entry.

A short film entry must be between one to three minutes long.
How do you enter?

Entering is easy. The teacher submitting the entry on behalf of their students just needs to fill out the application form before the closing date. The short film must also be shared through a public YouTube link in the application form; private videos are not accepted.

The closing date for entries is 5pm on Thursday, 13 March 2025. Entries submitted after this date cannot be accepted.

There is no entry fee for the Frame of Mind competition.

Get the application form here.
What are the categories?
We have two categories:
- Secondary school (this category includes special education schools and special education classes)
- FET/Youthreach
There will be a winner and two runner-up entries awarded in each category.
How are the winners chosen?

Our three expert judges will be awarding a maximum of 10 points per category across five areas of criteria. Judges will be marking entries based on adherence to the theme, the brief, artistic and technical capabilities, as well as overall experience.
What are the prizes?

Prizes include €1,000 for the winner of each category and a runner-up prize in each category of €500. There will be a winner and two runner-up entries awarded in each category.

Prizes for winning entries will be awarded to the school, Youthreach or FET centres who completed the entry application on behalf of student(s). WIMS suggests that this prize is shared among the students who participated in the creation of the winning short film.
Is there other important information you should know?

Shortlisted entries and winners will be announced on WIMS social media channels. If your entry is shortlisted, we will let you know by email.

Shortlisted entrants are expected to participate in media and promotional activities relating to Frame of Mind and to consent to the use of their names in press materials relating to the competition. WIMS, SPMHS, and the competition administrators have the right to showcase all entries submitted to the competition, and to use completed entries for promotional purposes outside of the competition, as they see fit.

Personal details of entrants will only be used for administrative purposes and for promotional activities relating to the competition. WIMS and SPMHS reserve the right to amend, modify, cancel, or withdraw an entry from the competition at any time without notice.