A TEENAGER is flying the flag for female film directors after netting a prestigious award.

The current refugee crisis and the plight of those fleeing from war inspired a team of youngsters to create Refuge, a short film that impressed judges at a recent film festival.

At the Custom Reels Short Film Awards 2016, Darlington 14-year-old Tilly Johnson fought off competition from much older entrants to be named Best Director.

She was handed her award by Game of Thrones star Ben Crompton, who plays Eddison Tollett, and acclaimed producer Samm Haillay.

Refuge, written and starring 17-year-old Rebecca Nesham, was created by the mostly-female Red Group, part of the Pauline Quirke Academy (PQA).

It uses the devastating loss of a sibling to explore the refugee crisis from the perspective of a teenage girl.

Laura Lonsdale, principal of PQA Tees Valley, said the young women behind the project were “flying the flag”.

She said: “They were competing against people much older than them and were up against films that had benefited from sponsorship.

“The team created Refuge on no budget at all – they begged and borrowed to put it together and shot it in a dance shop in Darlington and at Polam Hall’s theatre.

“Winning the award was fantastic, we were all so pleased and excited – Tilly’s so young and a female director, there aren’t many like her about.

“It’s hugely important to have more female directors and it’s worrying how few there are in this profession so we’re doing our best to push these girls.”

Hummersknott Academy pupil Ms Johnson said she had never expected to win and urged people to think about the message behind Refuge.

She said: “It was good to be able to put the message out there about what some people are going through right now.

“Darlington’s about to take in Syrian families and I’d like people to think about what they might have gone through before writing them off.”

She added: “It was amazing to win the award, I thought I had no chance and had prepared myself not to win so when they said my name, I was shaking.

“Most directors there were young boys and it’s not often female directors get recognised.

“It’s great to be able to say I’m a female director who’s won an award – I’m so proud.”

To view Refuge, visit thenorthernecho.co.uk.