AN award-winning filmmaker from the region is enjoying silver screen success on the international film festival circuit.

Mark Chapman, who was born in Bishop Auckland and whose family live in Spennymoor, County Durham, wrote and directed a short film called Faker.

The six-minute piece has been selected to feature in ten international film festivals across the world and has been short-listed for two awards.

Mr Chapman, 28, said: “I always loved films, initially watching them then I became fascinated with the process of making them.

“I write and direct my own material and with Faker I just thought it was a nice story to tell which I hope will entertain people.

“Its success is really great.”

Faker is a comedy drama about a fleeting encounter between two mismatched strangers during a bus journey on Christmas Eve.

It has been nominated in the best of festival category at the Cork Fastnet Short Film Festival, in Ireland – patrons include Steve Coogan, Jeremy Irons and David Puttman – and the best fictional short category at the Irpen International Film Festival, in the Ukraine.

Mr Chapman said: “Faker was shot for under £3,000 and I have never been so studiobound when filming before.

“So, for it to be so well received is incredible and testament to all those people who worked on it.”

Mr Chapman made his first film when he was 15 for a school project at King James I Community College, in Bishop Auckland.

He went on to study film making at Cleveland College of Art and Design and along with working on films, he teaches at Tyne Metropolitan College and is a freelance photographer.

His pictures appear regularly in arts magazines and an earlier short film, Home Movie, was awarded a Royal Television Society high commendation and the special jury prize at the Copenhagen Short Film and Animation Festival.

Although filming Faker only took a day, Mr Chapman worked on the project for a year with Newcastle-based Arpeggio Films and received funding from Northern Film and Media and Gateshead Borough Council.

Victoria Johnson, training and development manager at regional screen agency Northern Film and Media, said: “It is always great to see North- East film making talent gaining worldwide exposure through film festivals.

“Nominations for awards also offer fantastic recognition.

“Faker demonstrates Mark’s talent superbly.”