2022 Nominees
The Wonton Warrior
Saffron Cherry Productions, CBBC
UK
- Live Action: Children (0-10)
The Wonton Warrior was one of the higher rated in the Sparks series and significantly outperformed the slot average. Although short, it features moments of high drama, resilience, sadness and joy whilst sharing a great message of being true to one’s cultural identity. One third of British school children are from an ethnic minority background but there is still poor representation on screen particularly of East Asian children, and this film showcases an under-represented culture through food, tradition, martial arts and dance, in a way that is completely accessible to anyone, all within the confines of a limited budget. After airing we were sent letters and emails from children who had related positively to this film, including those from mixed race backgrounds and children with autism. All those children recognised the central truth that being made to feel an outsider is a very lonely place but June turns everything around in an authentic, empowering and positive way.