John Culatto
AN animation expert who has received recognition across the world has won the senior section of this year’s Gibraltar Cultural Awards.
Lesley Posso clinched the title after her editing skills helped her rise to fame in projects like the animation ‘Night of the Living Dead’.
Her editing got her an Annie Award in Los Angeles, RTS Student Documentary award and a BAFTA nomination.
Posso’s documentary short, ‘Tease’ has now been bought by Channel 4 after more success at the Grierson Awards.
Naomi Duarte won the Youth Award thanks to her artistic skills.
She made a Buddy Bench and kindness mural for St Bernard’s Upper Primary School.
As a keen artist, she exhibited at the Kitchen Studios in La Linea and has won top art prizes for her work.
Zoe Bishop clinched the Best Educational Project award for dance and theatre performance ‘The Memory Project’.
She directed it to raise funds for The Alzheimer’s and Dementia Society.
She also ran workshops for young people encouraging expression through movement.
This year’s Cultural Ambassador Award went to Eleanor Taylor, a children’s illustrator and artist who has made Gibraltar known with her online presence.
She put together a five-day Rock Retreat to bring together aspiring writer and artists to create material for children.
Ageing band Melon Diesel won the Cultural Services Extraordinary Award for being the most succeessful band Gibraltar has ever seen.
With their early success in the 90s and early noughties, the band led by Dylan Ferro has sold hundreds of thousands of copies of three albums they produced.
Finally, Tito Benady’s work promoting Gibraltar heritage and history won him the Ministry of Culture Lifetime Achievement Award.
The historian founded the Gibraltar Heritage Journal, set up Gibraltar Books and written over 100 monographs on the Rock’s history.
“The Cultural Awards are a recognition, not just of the achievements of those who receive them, but of the richness and standard of culture in our community, and the calibre of all its players,” Minister for Culture John Cortes said.
“Gibraltarian culture continues to develop its unquestioned identity, clearly demonstrated by its resilience through COVID times, and by how since then it has experienced a resurgence in activity and quality in all its disciplines,” he added.
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