Young film fanatics in some of Wales’ most deprived areas are getting the chance to create their very own films which will be shown on the big screen during the first Wales’ International Children and Young People’s Film Festival in 2007.

Zoom, the organisation behind this unique scheme, is a new charity funded by the Coalfields Regeneration Trust and the Arts Council of Wales and is holding a series of hands-on workshops where young people aged 8-18 will learn to write, shoot, star in and edit their own movies which will be shown to audiences at four different venues across the Valleys from Thursday 22^nd to Sunday 25^th of March 2007.

The first of its kind in Wales, the Festival will be bringing Welsh audiences films for and by young people from across the globe and will also be a fantastic opportunity for young Welsh talent to get their work seen by film industry movers and shakers world wide.

Zoom sees this as an invaluable opportunity to provide future generations in some of the poorest communities in Europe with new skills which will help them break into the competitive world of film and media. Zoom’s Director, Lisa Davies explains "With the growth of the film and media industry in Wales and the imminent arrival of Dragon International Studios, we’re hoping to create and secure a local work force which won’t be overlooked when it comes to employment. It’s vital to community morale that local people get to play an active role in the regeneration of their own towns…that they feel, as people who live in the Valleys, they’re the ones who are going to benefit from these big plans, not only outside investors and talent who merely see Wales as a cheap location".

Zoom also hopes to provide hope to the disaffected youth living in the Valleys today. Rebecca Lee, a mother of three from Nelson welcomes the scheme. "I think it’s a fantastic way of giving the kids a chance to express themselves creatively…so many young people in the Valleys are out of work, into drugs and have no real hope for the future…this will be something they can get involved in, something they can be proud of…It will also give those who’d never usually get the chance to work in the competitive world of film and media a foot in the door, and it’ll be a marvellous way to show the world what Valleys kids are capable of".

Those who would like their short films to be considered for screening during Wales’ International Children and Young People Film Festival should send their work to Zoom, Unit 12, 126 Bute Street, Cardiff, CF10 5LE. Films should have been made within the last two years by young people (8-18) and be submitted in DVD format by the 31^st December 2006. For full entry details please refer to the Zoom entry form. International filmmakers who wish to submit their work should contact Sian Harries by emailing sian@zoomcymru.com or calling 02920 461166. Entry forms and Festival information can be found at www.zoomcymru.com or www.myspace.com/zoomcymru.