A FILM by Maesycwmmer actor Craig Roberts and stars Hollywood actor Emile Hirsch will be released in cinemas next month.

Just Jim will be released on September 25 and stars Into the Wild actor Emile Hirsch and Hinterland actors Aneirin Hughes, Nia Roberts and Richard Harrington. This is the first directorial debut by Mr Roberts, aged 24, who shot to fame in indie hit Submarine.

The Bad Neighbours and 22 Jump Street actor decided to base his first screenplay in his hometown of Maesycwmmer where the film was also shot last year.

The film tells the story of Jim played by Mr Roberts who life becomes exciting after Dean, an American on the run, played by Mr Hirsch, moves in next door.

Mr Roberts said: "The great thing about shooting this film in my hometown and at my old school is that it was very personal to me. Just Jim is a reflection on what growing up in Maesycwmmer was like for me.

"If only I had a James Dean character to help me. Some of the moments in this movie actually happened, so it has been great to stay true to the locations and capture the town as it was to me when I was growing up."

Mr Roberts said the residents of Maesycwmmer were really behind the film.

The film shot scenes at the viaduct and at Lewis School Pengam with sixth form pupils taking part as extras. They cast Charlotte Randall a pupil as the love interest.

Just Jim was selected as one of three finalists of Ffilm Cymru Wales’ emerging talent scheme, Cinematic, in partnership with the BFI Film Fund, BBC Films, Creative Skillset, S4C and Soda Pictures to support emerging film-making talent from Wales.