A SHORT film featuring moving stories of how families in the district have coped with dementia during the pandemic has won a coveted award.

The production, which spotlights a number of people who were separated from loved ones with Alzheimer’s and dementia in care homes, has scooped the 'best short documentary' accolade at the Europe Film Festival.

Commissioned by Dementia Friendly Keighley and Bradford2025 MAKE:FILM, the documentary – Dementia and Covid: Memories in Lockdown – was shot by Keighley filmmaker Scott Coulthard.

He documented the unique chapter in history through the eyes of people like Dawn Hargreaves, whose husband David caught Covid-19 last year whilst in a care home.

At the time, Dawn said: "I don't think people understand how awful it is having a loved one in a care home and they can't see their family and we can't see them.

"We tried Skype but my daughter said it's like looking at a caged animal in a zoo."

Dementia Friendly Keighley said it was delighted at the film's impact.

A spokesperson added: "It was an honour to capture Dawn’s story and those of others in a similar situation.

"We hope that winning this award gives their voices a larger platform to further raise awareness of dementia and the support that those who live with it need.

"Thank you to everyone who featured in the documentary and of course thanks go to Scott for creating such a powerful film. He is a well-deserved winner."

For Scott the subject was close to his heart, as he learned how to cope with his grandmother’s memory loss.

He said: “The interviews were really emotional.

“I heard about the difficulties of dementia not just for the person, but for the people around them. I also learned about the amount of help and support and groups there are and that carers are so much more than just workers, they have to be family.”

Dementia Friendly Keighley works to raise awareness of the condition and provides support through a range of activities and services.

In lockdown it adapted its provision, offering online groups and activities and a seven-day helpline.

For further information about the organisation and the range of help available, visit dementiafriendlykeighley.org.uk.

The Europe Film Festival is an annual online event organised by filmmakers in London, Amsterdam, Istanbul, Munich and Zurich.

More about it, and details of other winning films, can be found at europefilmfestival.com.