Bus Stop Films and Genevieve Clay-Smith: winners again

Over the the short life of Bus Stop Films, we have often said 'congratulations' to Genevieve Clay-Smith and her students and fellow film-makers, several of whom are people with Down syndrome - for the excellent work they do in teaching, promoting inclusion through film-making, and winning more international awards than we can count, because they are great filmmakers. And this week, there are two more reasons.


Genevieve has won a major national award, and several Bus Stop short films have been added to the QANTAS in-flight entertainment schedule.  That should liven up many a travel experience. So if you are flying with QANTAS soon, you will be able to tune into the multi-award winning Be My Brother, and The Interviewer, both starring Gerard O'Dwyer.

Congratulations on your award, Genevieve and congratulations Bus Stop on your work with QANTAS.

Women of the Future, Judges' Choice Winners

Australian Women's Weekly, 22nd September 2015

Dame Quentin Bryce announced Genevieve Clay-Smith and Marita Cheng as the Judges' Choice winners tonight at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. It is the first time two women have won the coveted title.

Both women have been awarded $10,000 cash, a $10,000 Qantas travel bursary and year's Qantas Club membership.

Genevieve Clay-Smith, 27. Co-founder, Bus Stop Films

As a student, Genevieve Clay-Smith spent 18 months as a trainee film-maker creating a documentary for Down Syndrome NSW. Through this traineeship she met Gerard O’Dwyer, a man with Down Syndrome who wanted to be an actor. They went on to make a film together, Be My Brother, which won the short film festival, Tropfest, in 2009. 

It was enough to convince Genevieve to start the not-for-profit Bus Stop Films, an outfit which stages weekly workshops teaching special-needs students the art of film-making. Having already made six short films and won 40 international awards, Genevieve wants to partner with a large organisation to expand the program. 

“There is no other organisation in the world helping people with an intellectual disability to produce films,” Genevieve says. Bus Stop Films productions are truly inspiring and the judges are in no doubt that Genevieve will be a future leader in our country.

Visit Bus Stop Films.

Bus Stop Films posted on Facebook today:

Thank you to all our supporters and those who voted in the Women's Weekly Women of the Future awards in support of our co-founder and our program. We are so thrilled to announce that last night Genevieve was awarded with a Women of the Future judges choice award for Bus Stop Films. 

"Nothing happens with out a team and supporters. Bus Stop wouldn't be able to do what it does without a dedicated team of people who believe in the impact the film studies program is having. 

"This scholarship will help Bus Stop in its efforts to become sustainable and scale its program. It will be put towards creating a film studies curriculum and more which is very exciting.  

"I'm so grateful that the judges wanted to see this award invested into Bus Stop Films, we are the only organisation in the world dedicated to helping people with an intellectual disability have a 'film school experience' and make professional short films with industry mentors with the aim of helping to increase English and literacy skills as well as life ready skills, confidence and wellbeing," said Genevieve.

• Genevieve Clay-Smith Wins ‘The Australian Women’s Weekly Qantas Women Of The Future Competition 2015′, Bus Stop Films (blog), 24th September 2015