THREE Newport film-makers picked up awards at a national competition last week.

Marielle Wilkinson, 18, who lives in Lliswerry won best film made by a 14 to 18-year-old at the Zoom Young Film-makers Awards at Bridgend College last week.

The teenager, who is in the middle of studying for her A-levels, won with her four-minute film Mania, which she produced for her media studies coursework and only submitted to the festival after being encouraged by her teacher Anna Bartlett.

“I have done lots of small projects but I have never done a film,” said the St Joseph’s RC High School pupil, whose school friends Gabriel Tapfuma, Zoey Groves and Nicole Muza star in the piece. “It worked out pretty well.”

In the film a boy is intrigued by a girl who appears outside his classroom and chases after her, but doesn’t realise he is the only person who can see her.

Ms Wilkinson hopes to study media, journalism and culture at Cardiff University once she has finished her A-levels this summer.

Meanwhile William and Alexander Langley, from Langstone, took home the top prize in the eight to 13 age category for their piece, The Cat in the Bar.

Filmed using a GoPro action sports camera and starring Alexander, 12, and William, 15, who also edited the film, the three-minute black-and-white heist movie involves con artists selling a cat for £100.

It is the second accolade for The Cat in the Bar which also won them best overall film at the Media 4 Schools competition.

The boys also won best trailer at last year’s Zoom awards with a clip of their action film Suspense and best edited film with their piece Gingie’s Tale at last year’s competition.