Award-winning director Ken Loach's latest - and last - film, which was made in County Durham, has won a top prize at a leading film festival in Switzerland.
The Old Oak, a story about the fall-out when a group of Syrian refugees arrive to live amongst residents of a former mining community, was filmed in the region in 2022 - the third film to be made here by Loach and his team following I, Daniel Blake and Sorry We Missed You. And, like those two, the drama was picked earlier this year to have a screening at Cannes where it was nominated for the coveted Palme d'Or.
While it missed out on the top award, its selection for the prestigious film festival was a big honour in itself and served to propel the drama into the international spotlight. And now - on the back of doors opened to festivals worldwide and its growing reputation - The Old Oak has now won a top award at The Locarno Film Festival in Spain.
Read more: Chronicle goes behind the scenes during filming of The Old Oak
The Bafta-winning team behind it, including writer Paul Laverty and producer Rebecca O'Brien, are delighted the film has won the 'Prix du Public' - the prize of the public - which is a huge deal given the Locarno festival is famous for its huge open-air screenings which accommodate around 8,000 viewers in its main piazza. Both Loach and Laverty attended what the writer described as a "stunning event" where the film was in competition with the world's best and, upon their return, they received word of the win.
"The prize of the public - given the size of the screenings, is much coveted and greatly appreciated around Europe," said Laverty. I, Daniel Blake won the same prize previously and it's one which is taken as a confidence-booster for European distributors.
It is now set to increase the profile of The Old Oak still further ahead of its post-festival release to cinemas nationwide this autumn. And North East audiences will be among the first to see it as the film is to have a pre-release screening at this year's North East International Film Festival in September.
Following the announcement of the win, which brings with it a cash prize, a statement from Loach, Laverty and O'Brien, also on behalf of cast and crew, said: "This is extraordinary news! A big 'thank-you' to the audience and everyone at the festival."
They said the event had again been "a wonderful experience, with a great-size audience and great commitment to cinema, and that The Old Oak's share of the prize pot will be given to organisations which support refugees and those seeking asylum. They said: "In the film, we tried to find hope in these dark times."
And they added: "Friendship and solidarity can give us the strength to create a better, more secure world. Our task is to make that hope a reality."
