KEIGHLEY’S international film festival took on the might of the Avengers last Saturday night.

And although the RATMA festival lost out to the cinematic superheroes in attracting the biggest audience, organisers were pleased with the outcome.

RATMA’s gala screening was held in the smaller upstairs cinema at Keighley Picture House while Avengers: Age of Ultron filled the downstairs screen.

Festival organiser Marcus Gregg said the upstairs auditorium was about a quarter full with festival entrants, civic dignitaries and members of the public.

They watched the winning entries in each section of RATMA, the River Aire Ten-Minute Amateur international film festival.

Earlier in the day the 60-plus entries in the festival has been screened to the public at the Keighley Campus of Leeds City College.

RATMA, now in its third year, attracted short movies from directors in many countries across the world.

Mr Gregg said: “These aren’t blockbuster Hollywood films so people didn’t know what to expect, but everyone had a good time and took something away from it.”

Alone, made by 16-year-old Leeds girl Amy Beedle, won both the under-18s section and the People’s Choice award, voted by members of the public who watched the films last Saturday.

Mr Gregg said the film portrayed teenage angst, low self-esteem and anorexia, focusing on a girl with voices in her head.

He added: “People responded to Amy’s film in a very good way. They had tears in their eyes as they left.

“It amazed me that someone so young could move people in such a way with a film. It was perfectly made and touched a lot of people.”

Mr Gregg said there was a steady stream of people to the Keighley Campus screenings, adding: “There are a few more people than last year which was good, it shows we’re going in the right direction.

Mr Gregg was pleased that the gala night was attended by Keighley and Bradford’s deputy mayors and the deputy principal of Leeds City College.

Mr Gregg said the dignitaries presented awards, as did Steve Seymour, manager of the Airedale Centre which was RATMA’s main financial sponsor.

Other section winners: animation, Electra Fotopoulou with Leonor; art, Cameron Granger with Courtesy Of; comedy, Rodrigo Canet with Litio; documentary, Gary Bencheghib with The Boats Of Jamaica Bay; drama, Iker Arce with Magia; music, Pedro Santasmarinas with Cadger; sci-fi, Tomer Werechson with Simplicity; thriller, Tarvi Roos with Perfection.

The winning films will be available to watch via links on the RATMA website later this week, by visiting ratmaff.weebly.com.