A Teddington autistic filmmaker is showcasing a short at the world-famous Cannes Film Festival.

Alis Rowe’s animated short film, A Day At Secondary School For The Girl With The Curly Hair, is a sweet story showcasing a day in the life of a girl with autism.

Alis is founder of The Curly Hair Project, a social enterprise which helps people on the autistic spectrum and the people close to them.

“We want viewers of our film to develop compassion, empathy and tolerance for someone who might be a bit different, even if you never know why they are that way,” said Alis.

“The Girl With The Curly Hair has some ‘difficult’ or ‘strange’ behaviours on the outside, but those behaviours are manifestations of some quite complex thoughts and strong feelings of anxiety.”

The film’s Animator, Charles-Jean Boucher, studied at Kingston University.

Both Alis and Charles-Jean are very proud of what they have achieved.

The film festival not only provides recognition for their work, but also the chance of meeting film buyers and distributors.

Despite no professional experience, Alis wrote and directed the film and is embarking on exciting career in filmmaking.

A representative from The Curly Hair Project will be attending the Cannes Film Festival, between May 8-19 this year.

You can find out more about Alis, The Curly Hair Project and her short film at www.thegirlwiththecurlyhair.co.uk