Film alumni take home award for Best Adventure at the Kendal Mountain Festival
02 December 2025
School of Film & Television alumni Dan Simpkins and Angus Breton, along with the rest of the creative team behind the making of the short film, The Lost Boys of Carbis Bay, recently took home the award for Best Adventure & Exploration at the Kendal Mountain Festival after it was selected out of an impressive 600 global entries.
The Kendal Mountain Festival is one of the world’s leading celebrations of adventure, exploration and storytelling, and has now recognised Lost Boys for its deeply moving portrayal of a group of unlikely underground explorers who find community, purpose and connection in the forgotten mines of Cornwall.
Since graduating with a Film BA(Hons), Dan has showcased his work at a range of BAFTA and BIFA-qualifying festivals including London Short Film Festival, Encounters and Cannes - all while working as a camera technician in London. Now, he adds his success at the Kendal Mountain Festival to his list of accomplishments alongside his friend, collaborator and Film & Television Production BA(Hons) alumni, Angus.
Reflecting on what it meant to receive the award, Dan shared: “For a long time this was just a passion project between me and Angus, and we spent two years second-guessing ourselves, wondering if we had made the right decision to keep pushing forward.
“Winning this award means a huge amount. It has really boosted our confidence as filmmakers, and we hope it helps open doors for the film as we begin conversations with distributors.”
He added: “The Kendal Mountain Festival had been our number one festival target from the start, so we were over the moon just to be selected and to premiere there. To then walk away with an award really put us on cloud nine.”
Shot over two years, the award-winning documentary illuminates the emotional terrain beneath the surface: the complexities of masculinity, the quiet crisis of men’s mental health and the unspoken bonds formed in extreme, secretive spaces.
Angus, who edited and co-produced the film, shared: “Loneliness is a huge issue in the UK. Seeing a group find real connection in such an unexpected place is incredibly powerful. We wanted the film to feel raw, grounded and true to the Cornwall we know.”
Emma Crome, a member of this year’s festival jury, said: “This film is a heartfelt reminder that belonging can emerge in the most unexpected places, and that exploration of the inner landscape can be every bit as profound as any physical journey.”
Festival Film & Arts Manager, Faye Latham, added: “As soon as this film was submitted for consideration at Kendal, we knew we'd found a gem. Like an artefact discovered down one of the mines explored by the Carbis Bay crew, this film has a kind of magic that can only be found in a film that's made with utter dedication.”
She continued: “We can't wait to see what Dan and the team go on to create, and we are so pleased that The Lost Boys of Carbis Bay is now part of the Kendal Mountain family.”
The Lost Boys of Carbis Bay will be touring filmhouses across Cornwall in January 2026, with showings taking place in Redruth, Newlyn, Bodmin, Saltash, Wadebridge, Truro and Falmouth.
The film will be accompanied by a Q&A session with the cast and crew, giving audience members the chance to learn more about the behind-the-scenes of the making of this moving short film.
External links
Follow the film’s journey on Instagram
See the film for yourself at The Poly, Falmouth on 24 January 2026
You might also like
Finding new direction with an online master’s in Graphic Design
Fashion graduate wins Amazon Prime series competition by creating catwalk looks from second-hand garments
Game Development Writing graduate builds career in community management
Creative Writing alumna releases dark academia romantasy with HarperCollins UK
