Young movie makers in Dagenham have hit the big screen.

Marsh Green Primary School and Dagenham Park Secondary School pupils won a competition to make their own movie with a professional film-maker and have it premiered at the Dagenham Vue cinema.

Seven schools took part in a competition pitching their creative ideas for short films to four film and TV industry experts earlier this year.

The prize was one primary and one secondary school producing their own film to be premiered at the cinema complex in Dagenham Leisure Park.

The competition was won by the two Dagenham schools to create their own movie with film-maker Harry Isherwood.

“They knew exactly how they wanted their films to look and sound,” he said. “It was inspiring to work with them and be a part of it.”

Marsh Green pupils created The Adventures of Kaci and Kyla, about children who enter a magical realm.

Dagenham Park made a film called Surge, about two friends who take an energy drink that gives them special powers.

Pupil Lauren Rodrigues de Castro, who was chosen to take part, said: “Acting in this film gave me focus as I had to remember my lines. But even if I got things wrong I was helped by everyone involved.”

Fellow pupil Tireni Oluwole also got an acting part in the film which she admits gave her self-confidence. She added: “I learned that you just have to work hard for anything you want to be in life. I want to be an actress because of this film project.”

One of the mums at the premiere, Teresa Hollingsworth, praised the film-makers for the enterprise of involving children in making their own movie.

“I wish more industries would do this,” she said. “Letting the children get a real taste of the industry will make a big impact on their future careers.”

The pilot event was organised by Barking and Dagenham Council’s Inspiring Futures team and its Film Barking & Dagenham office that encourages the movie industry to “make it here”. The project was also backed by Dagenham’s own Eastbrook Studios.