AN award-winning filmmaker has turned his talents to mentoring the next generation of filmmakers.

Aaron Dunleavy, fresh from the success of his most recent short film, spoke with Laura O'Neill about the secret to his success and why he will always stay loyal to the North.

Mr Dunleavy said: “I’ve always had a passion for telling stories about young people growing up in smaller working class towns.

"I grew up in Blackburn and went on to study at film school in London.

"Moving away made me realise just how different a childhood in the capital city was, compared to that of a smaller, more secluded town."

Now based in Oswaldtwistle, the 23-year-old headed back to the North after completing his studies and began production of his debut short film, Throw Me to the Dogs.

Set in the Griffin area of Blackburn where Mr Dunleavy grew up, the gritty short was filmed over a week with a cast of budding actors from across East Lancashire, to tell the story of a troubled teenage boy.

The film went on to win 10 awards on the festival circuit, and garnered praise from Academy Award winning director Danny Boyle.The film was streaming in over 240 countries, and was awarded a 'Best of the Month' Staff Pick on Vimeo.

Having discovered the key to success, he stuck to his formula, when devising his most recent film Strays, which was commissioned for Random Acts, the short form film strand by Channel 4.

Mr Dunleavy said: “Locations have always played a vital role in my films.

"Often, I’ll shape a story around a particular location, and for Strays this was the case more so than ever before.

"The film is set against a backdrop of terraced houses around the streets where I was born, and where much of my family still lives to this day.

"Throughout my previous work, I’ve explored techniques such as street casting and improvisation, in an effort to bring out authentic performances.

"I’ve always aimed for a purely local cast, as I feel it adds a layer of authenticity, not just with the dialect and accents, but also because they have a broader understanding of the landscape and why the story is relevant to them.

"The unforgiving and harsh post-industrial landscapes of the north are a perfect backdrop for adventurous children in a town like Blackburn.”

Since its release Strays has been screened around the world, with official selections at prestigious BAFTA and Oscar qualifying festivals.

But away from the directors chair, Mr Dunleavy has been working with pupils from St Wilfrid's Church of England Academy, creating a film to counteract radicalisation.

He said: "I Worked on a project at St Wilfred's, and helped the pupils create a film to combat radicalisation.

"I had never worked in schools before, but because I had worked with children on a lot of the films and did a lot of casting in schools it transitioned nicely.

"We started working on it last year and finished it two months ago and it was screened last month and on the first day 600 students watched it.

"I'm not sure how many pupils have seen it now but we have had a lot of good feedback, it's different from anything being shown in schools at the moment."

Dedicated to investing in his community, Mr Dunleavy has also been mentoring young people at Blackburn Youth Zone alongside Blackburn born film director Michael Winterbottom.

He said: "I spent two weeks mentoring the kids at the Youth Zone and helped them create a film celebrating the history of Blackburn.

"The film was screened at the festival of making and was really well received."

"I think the best part was when film director Michael Winterbottom gave a talk to all the kids, which was really inspiring.

"I think it's important that young people know they can have a future doing something they love."