Norfolk-shot film Sylvia entered for Oscars

The film Sylvia will be submitted to the Oscars after securing a run of Los Angeles showings

Sylvia Film poster — The film Sylvia will be submitted to the Oscars after securing a run of Los Angeles showings

A pair of first time film-makers say they are "delighted" after finding out they have qualified to enter their short movie for an Oscar.

Husband and wife Richard and Rachel Prendergast filmed Sylvia last year in Norfolk after ploughing their £10,000 savings into dramatising a true story.

It has already won at Cannes and will be submitted for an Oscar after securing a run of Los Angeles showings.

Mrs Prendergast said: "We are delighted as it was just a dream to get it in."

Husband and wife Richard and Rachel Prendergast are based in Norwich

Sylvia Richard and Rachel Prendergast — Husband and wife Richard and Rachel Prendergast are based in Norwich

The 17-minute short has won 12 film festival awards so far, including an emerging film-makers honour at this summer's Cannes Film Festival in France.

The Prendergasts, who live in Old Catton near Norwich, run video production company SubMotion and said it had been their goal to "step forward into films".

Inspiration struck after director Mr Prendergast, 37, spotted a Facebook post about a man trying to reunite a car he had bought with its previous owner.

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Kevin Duke, from Kentucky in the USA, had found an emotional letter in the vehicle, named Sylvia, from a woman who had been forced to sell it after losing her family in a house fire.

The movie, which has been shot on location in the flat landscapes of Great Yarmouth and Acle, is described by the producers as "a true story about love, loss and a car".

Mr Prendergast spotted a Facebook post about a man trying to reunite a car he had bought with its previous owner

Sylvia Pictures from film — Mr Prendergast spotted a Facebook post about a man trying to reunite a car he had bought with its previous owner

Producer Mrs Prendergast, 35, said: "Full auditoriums have been in floods of tears.

"We've got a lot of experience in running video shoots, but working with actors has been completely new.

"We joked that the next step was the Oscars, but that we could actually fill out the form - and say we've done this with our first film - doesn't feel part of our world."

They were able to submit Sylvia after it was one of just 10 worldwide films picked by the Manhattan Short festival, which meant it automatically qualified for Oscars consideration.

If it gets through to the next round it will make the long list, before judges then vote for the 10 nominated short films.

Sylvia Still from the film — The short film won an award at Cannes