Organisers of this year's Staffordshire Day, which includes the first ever countywide film festival, have revealed the finalists.

Film makers were invited to submit their films as part of the programme for Staffordshire Day, the county's annual celebration on 1 May. The films needed to promote the county, be made within the last five years and to be no longer than 30 minutes.

The Staffordshire Hoard by The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery, Lichfield Tourism about the historic Staffordshire city and Bound by Clay about the women who worked in the pottery industry are amongst those shortlisted.

Young film makers including Thomas Pointon from Stoke-on-Trent and his film The Uniting River also made the shortlist.

Over 60 films were submitted from makers across the county, with 18 being shortlisted. These can be viewed on Enjoy Staffordshire's blog post.

Entries were judged by festival director Philip Kempson, the Staffordshire Film Archive's Ray Johnson MBE and film-maker Darren Teale MBE.

There were six categories: Drama/Comedy, Documentary, Animation/Experimental, Business in the Community, Mini-Movie, and Young Film-Maker.

Ray Johnson MBE said: "We've had a great range of entries for this new Film Festival - dramatic, engaging, moving and uplifting films with exciting techniques and subjects filmed around the County.

"From small-scale and focused personal projects, beautifully filmed documentaries, to large scale community productions - it's been a privilege to view and discuss these films with my fellow judges.

"Our choices have been difficult to make - but we're impressed by the overall quality of the films and the outstanding talents of our filmmakers."

John Henderson, Chief Executive at Staffordshire County Council said: "We all know what an amazing county Staffordshire is and what talented and creative people we have here.

"Our film competition is new for this year's celebrations and we're incredibly pleased to see such a collection of high quality entries. The judges will have had a tricky job in shortlisting and I'm sure will have a tougher task choosing the actual winners. I'd like to thank everyone who entered and wish them the best of luck on the day."

The winners will be announced at an online ceremony on Saturday 1 May, with the overall winner receiving a cheque for £500 from the competition sponsors, Staffordshire Film Archive.

The date for Staffordshire Day was decided by a public vote in 2015 and is the anniversary of Josiah Wedgwood setting up his world famous Staffordshire pottery company in 1759. The day is organised by Enjoy Staffordshire and supported by Staffordshire County Council and other local councils.

For further details on Staffordshire Day events visit Enjoy Staffordshire.

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