Breakthrough for Harrogate's 17-year-old filmmaker as she wins distribution deal in Asia

Director, screenwriter and actor Ava Bounds, 17, has just signed her first distribution deal in that major Asian centre for movies after short film platform Samansa Japan were so impressed with two of her previous films that they searched her out to Yorkshire.

The Tokyo-based Samansa translates short films into six Asian languages and then charges a fee per view for each short film.

This streaming service has just received major VC (venture capital) backing and is set to be the largest of its kind in Asia.

The multi-talented teenager says she was absolutely thrilled to go ahead with her first deal.

“I’ve worked hard on my writing and filmmaking for three years - it’s a very expensive business - but this deal will help me fund my next film and the ones beyond.”

Incredibly, Ava, the youngest ever winner of the IMDb New Filmmaker Award at the age of 15 in 2021, does not have an agent.

She began her performance career aged just 12 in London's West End, working with Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes in the Olivier-winning drama The Ferryman for six months.

Ava now hopes her Japanese breakthrough will be just the beginning of bigger and brighter things to come.

A film student at CAPA college in Wakefield, Ava is already at work on her next film with a a group of enthusiastic Yorkshire student filmmakers.

Her new comedy, Whatever Happened to Molly Dayle’s Cow? which Ava describes as “Father Ted meets All That Jazz” will be shot in Batley and Sandsend in February.

Ava is currently crowdfunding to make this film which will be set in 1986 at the height of the Mad Cow epidemic and will focus on the final day of Irish pensioner Molly Doyle before she lets go and takes the next big step.

To contribute to Ava's next film, visit www.indiegogo.com and search for Whatever Happened to Molly Doyle's Cow?

Anyone contributing £25 will receive a credit in the film while £20 will ensure a seat at the premiere.