The Real Black Sabbath: Sheffield student wins award for documentary at maiden film festival in the US

Harry Robinson, a 21-year-old journalism student at the University of Sheffield, flew across the Atlantic for a year abroad in Oklahoma hoping to fulfil the lifelong dream of making a documentary.

Months on, he has made his vision a reality.

Despite a lack of resources and financial backing, Robinson’s maiden documentary The Real Black Sabbath took home the ‘Most Inspirational Film Award’ at Oregon Film Festival last week.

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Harry said: “As a working-class solo filmmaker, getting into film festivals is near-on impossible. You have got to throw money at it just to be considered, so when I was nominated, that was an incredible achievement in itself.

“But when my name got called and they said I won, I was clearly the giddiest one out of everyone there. I was absolutely beaming, and it feels like a perfect end to what has been the most amazing ten months in the States.”

Centred around the Israelite School of Universal Practical Knowledge – an extremist hate group against white people – Harry’s documentary explores the reasons behind their hatred, and how they approach him as a white, non-American.

His passion for taboo subjects stemmed from growing up watching the acclaimed BBC documentary-maker Louis Theroux, and he hopes to go on to make more documentaries of a similar ilk.

Harry said: “I was interested by how they are quite an abrasive group. There are parts in the film where they make me kiss their boots and apologise for slavery. It left me very morally and ethically conflicted.

“To me, this is a group that is undoubtedly hateful, but they are also made up of an ethnic minority that has been trodden on for such a long time.”

After studying for the year at the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication, Harry modestly told how he owes a lot of his achievements to Professor Mike Boettcher for his advice throughout.

He also thanked Adam Dickinson, a fellow year abroad student who helped as cameraman and cinematographer.