Teen pregnancy movie to be shown at Greek festival

Mel Foley and Helen Ward, who produced it, are flying out to the European Children's Film Festival in Greece this weekend, where their creation is being screened.

Ms Foley, the educational development worker at the Barnardo's Sexually Exploited Children On the Streets project in Middlesbrough, and Ms Harrison, of the Teesside Play and Education Resource Centre (Percy), came up with the idea of their film, Choices, over a cup of tea while on a one-day course.

Ms Foley's job is to work with groups of young people in schools and youth clubs, to raise awareness of abuse.

She asked a girls' group she was working with at Ormesby Comprehensive School, Middlesbrough, if they wanted to make the film, while Ms Harrison found funding for the project from the Neighbourhood Support Fund.

The film came together with the help of Ormesby teacher Jane McGill, six 13 and 14-year-old pupils and artist Helen Ward, from Jack Drum Arts, responsible for the actual filming.

The film covers themes of teenage pregnancy, contraception, alcohol, spiked drinks, peer pressure, life with a baby, adoption and abortion.

Mel said: "It is about a young girl who is in a dance club, checking out the talent of the local boys egged on by her friends. She is given a drink by a boy and doesn't know what happened next - but finds herself pregnant.

"She is walking the streets with her suitcase when she comes across a gypsy caravan.

"She finds a crystal ball in the caravan and looks into it, to discover the different options she could have taken."

The girls used materials from the Percy warehouse for sets and props - including a gypsy caravan and a disco.

Mel said: "We're absolutely thrilled the film has been shortlisted and we will be over the moon if it wins an award.

"The girls worked incredibly hard, making their own sets and props and contributing to the story and scenes.

"It will be a real credit to them if the film wins."