November 1979 Movie Maker magazine
The well known UK amateur film enthusiasts' magazine "Amateur Cine World" (known by many as "The Moviemakers' Bible") launched a competition for amateur films, sometime before the second World War, around 1936 I think. Originally the prizes were "Oscar" statuettes, after 1950 also with a cash prize of £100. In later years other prizes were often provided by cine manufacturers.
To encourage all the entrants, every film entered in any amateur film gauge - 8mm / 9.5mm and 16mm was actually screened to a panel of judges and some measure of grading was obtained by awarding a star rating - gold; four; three; two and down to just one star. (Yes in my youth I did enter a 9.5mm effort a couple of times and got that one star award - better luck next time as they say!)
By the 1970s, the "Amateur Cine World" magazine, had morfed into a more 'coffee table' style monthly magazine, now owned by publishing group Model & Allied Publications, but with manager editor the well known cine journalist Tony Rose. The "Ten Best" competition continued, this year with a fancy presentation at the National Film Theatre, South Bank, central London.
November 1979 Movie Maker magazine
THE 1979 "TEN BEST" AWARDS
"Rhapsody In Blue" by Edward Tschoki - Minolta Editing Trophy and £500 cash prize
"The Great Pram Race" from Finchley Cine Society, directed by Dave Wyatt - Silver Trophy
"Boys' Day Out" a one-man movie from Tony Gorner
"The Golden Medallion" from Centre Film Unit, writer/director Alan Lavender
"T'Batley Faust" the only cartoon, diected by Tony Hall
"I Didn't Do It" writer/director Ray Johnson - Sankyo Best Script Trophy
"29 Seconds To Zero" an animated miniature models cine film from Ian Rintoul
"135 And Rising" produced by Frank Morgan and directed by Breeda Kiely
"Tug" produced by John Morris - Eumig Trophy for Best Use Of Sound
"God In Togo" directed by Kurt Keil
Currently I am searching for an earlier "Movie Maker" copy (June 1979) which contains the details of the individual films. (Now found it - thanks to ebay! gln18Oct2016). Meantime we can assume most, if not all of the 'Oscar' winners were filmed on 16mm. By now, whilst there were still entries on Super and Std 8mm, there were non filmed on the 9.5mm film gauge.
Watch the Ten Best Silver
Medal winner -
"THE GREAT PRAM RACE" on 
November 1979 Movie Maker magazine
June 1979 Movie Maker magazine
Movie Maker magazine July 1979
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