FORGET Cannes - a home-grown film premire takes place in Shaftesbury this summer.

Budding Spielbergs are getting behind the camera to make a movie aimed at combating debt.

Students from Shaftesbury School and teenagers from the town's youth centre, Toby's, are setting out to make the 20-minute drama-documentary and an accompanying workbook.

Professional film maker Nic Dixon will direct the work and teacher Dinah McAlees is co-ordinating the work with the school.

The project has won nearly £6,000 from the Local Network Fund for Children and Young People.

But the idea of the pioneering film came from Shaftesbury Advice Centre manager Carla Santagostino and Richard Thomas of community development organisation Swans Trust.

Ms Santagostino, who has notched up 10 years' experience in debt advice, said the film would be made from the young people's point of view.

"They don't know anything about debt, hopefully, because that's the idea of it," she said.

"Debt can happen to anybody - it doesn't just happen to one kind of person.

"It's a common problem if you're made redundant or become long-term ill.

"Things were going fine then all of a sudden something hit them.

"Bankruptcy figures have gone up massively - particularly in the South West where property prices are high and wages low.

"We're in the habit of spending on credit which is just magnifying the problem.

"We want to help young people learn that credit isn't the best way of going about things."

Cllr Thomas said: "We're on a very tight schedule but we're working to professional standards with professional equipment so I'm hopeful we'll end up with something really interesting and relevant that could be used all over the country.

"But most of all I hope it'll be fun to do, whatever we end up with."

The movie will be screened at Shaftesbury Arts Centre in July.

First published: May 16