Charity Film Awards
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| Charity Film Awards | |
|---|---|
| Awarded for | Best Charitable film |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| First award | 2015–present |
| Currently held by | Refuge - Make the world a Refuge |
| Website | https://smileycharityfilmawards.com |
The Charity Film Awards (CFAs) is a British film awards ceremony that is held annually. Each year campaign films are announced as winners following both a public vote and a final panel of judges.
Previous winners have included the UK LSD Collaborative, RSPCA, Macmillan, and NSPCC. It is recognised by the British Film Institute and IMDb.
The Charity Film Awards is an annual competition recognising films created by charities, nonprofit organisations, and corporate social responsibility initiatives. Established in 2015, the awards aim to highlight the role of film in raising awareness and supporting charitable causes. Since its inception, the awards have grown into one of the largest initiatives of their kind.[1][2] More than 6,000 charities have participated, and over one million individuals have taken part in the public voting process. By 2024, participating films had generated over 500 million film impressions, and the virtual ceremony attracted an audience of more than 2.7 million viewers. The awards are recognised by the British Film Institute and listed on IMDb.[3][4]
The judging process consists of two stages: a public vote and final review by a panel of judges from the media, advertising, and charity sectors. Entries are categorised according to the income level of the submitting organisation, based on the turnover brackets defined by the Charity Commission to ensure comparability between organisations of different sizes. In addition to income-based categories, there are awards for long-form films (over eight minutes) and for international charities and corporate social responsibility campaigns through the “International Impact” and “Corporate Cause” categories. Winners in each income bracket may receive Gold, Silver, or Bronze awards, either through public voting (“People’s Choice Awards”) or judges' selection. The highest-rated films overall are recognised as “Charity Film of the Year” and “People’s Choice Film of the Year.”[5][6][7]
The campaign incorporates a multi-platform communications strategy, including social media, digital PR, and livestreaming. Since 2022, the awards ceremony has been hosted by a celebrity presenter and broadcast on YouTube to a global audience. Over 300 new charities participate in the awards each year, with a record 520 entries submitted in 2025.[8][9]
History
The Charity Film Awards was launched in 2015 to recognise the role of film in promoting social change and to give greater visibility to films made by charities. The Charity Film Awards' first ceremony in 2015 shortlisted a number of British charities, including RSPCA, Barnardo's, the RNLI, Alzheimer's Society, and Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital. The eventual winner was St. John's Ambulance for "The Chokeables".[10]
In 2021, the awards were acquired by Smiley Movement, a nonprofit supported by The Smiley Company, to expand their reach. The acquisition was led by Nicolas Loufrani, CEO of Smiley Movement, and supported by founder Simon Burton, who saw the support by Smiley Movement as a way to grow the awards' influence. The campaign and ceremony are sponsored by the Smiley brand as the main title sponsor.[11][12]
Since 2022, the awards ceremony has been hosted annually by a celebrity presenter, with additional guest presenters introducing each category.[13] Individual awards are also presented by celebrities. Presenters included Tom Allen,[14] Julien MacDonald, Adam Pearson, Lemn Sissay,[15] Kimberley Wyatt,[16] Natasha Kaplinsky,[17] Professor Green,[18] Jodie Kidd, Shirley Ballas,[19] Una Healy, Patsy Kensit, Anton Ferdinand, Patsy Palmer, and Kathryn Drysdale/[20][21][22] In 2025, television and radio presenter Lisa Snowdon hosted the ceremony at the Indigo O2 in London.[23]
As the number of entrants expanded, so did the number of categories at the awards.[24][25] In 2023, a new category—the International Impact Award—was launched to recognise cause-driven films produced outside the UK. Supported by The Bicester Collection, this category has received submissions from the United States, Europe, South Asia, and South America. Past recipients include World Connect Inc. (2023), the World Childhood Foundation USA (2024), and Pebbles Project (2025).
In 2024, the Charity Film Awards introduced a new category Champion of Change Award to recognise individuals who have made a substantial contribution to social progress. Past winners include: Nada Al Ahdal (2024) and Annabel Kiki (2025).
In both 2023 and 2024, TikTok served as the sponsor for the People's Choice Awards category, supporting public voting and increasing engagement.[26]
The ceremony is streamed live on YouTube, allowing global audiences to view the event and engage with the films showcased.[27]
The 2025 event, held at the Indigo at The O2 in London, had a record attendance of 1,400 guests and the livestream reached 182,000 views.[28][29][30][31][32]