A FILM by a Blaenau Gwent-based production company has scooped an award at a international film festival.

Film ‘The Bench’ — by Tredegar-based Green Valley Film Productions— was written by a group of friends as their first attempt at a feature film.

After encountering problems with filming in Gwent, they decided to shoot in the town of Legnica — where director Kevin Phillips had previously filmed a documentary  — and changed the script to Polish.

On Saturday the film — which cost £4,000 to make and two weeks to shoot— won Best Original Screenplay of a Foreign Language Film at the London International Filmmaker Festival, beating several bigger budget flicks.

The film recruited around 30 extras from Blaenau Gwent schools Pen y Cwm Special School and Deighton Primary who were flown to Poland to be extras in the film.

Its plot follows the story of two homeless boys who are in an accident, with one developing supernatural powers as a result.

Reacting to the news, director Kevin Phillips, said it was “far from a one man show” and thanked the cast, crew and supporters for making the win possible.

“I had no expectations (of winning) and was happy with the nomination as it was our first feature film,” he said.

“None of us got paid for working on the film, with the budget going on costumes, props and locations.”

Mr Phillips previously worked at Rassau-based Artsmagic, which duplicated VHS cassettes of major movies and concerts and set up Green Valley Film Productions in 2005.

He added: “We were told we were crazy but for a bunch of grafters that made us even more determined."

The filmmaker also thanked Chairman of Blue Balloon Childrens’ Charity, Steven Knapik MBE, who helped the filmmakers liaise with Blaenau Gwent schools and an orphanage in Poland to provide extras.

The film will have its official premiere in Legnica in April and has been entered into Hollywood’s Polish Film Festival and Warsaw Film Festival.