'Not just on our phones': 16-year-old Carlow boy premieres first feature film

A 16-year old from Carlow has highlighted how teenagers are "not just on their phones" after screening his first-ever feature film.

Samuel Donald Huggard is from Ardattin in Carlow and decided to undertake the project of creating a film during his Summer holidays from school.

'Footsteps in the Sand' was recently screened at a creative centre called Croi Anu in Co. Kildare, according to the Carlow Nationalist. 

The film follows the story of 16-year-old Percy Fleming, who is played by Samuel, and is "more focused on character than plot." 

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Percy is seen navigating life after his mother marries a man who had recently become a widow, but it turns out the man is very angry and violent.

"The central theme of the film is forgiveness and it's personified through Percy. He learns that he has to forgive his mother and his stepsister, even his stepfather, and most importantly, how he has to forgive himself," Samuel told the Carlow Nationalist.

Samuel also recruited TV actor, Paul Ronan, who is the father of Saoirse Ronan, to act in the film. 

Samuel said he used his past experiences with acting such as being in short films, plays, and musicals, to write the script and make his own film.

He also used his neighbours and friends as cast members, gathering roughly 40 people to feature in it. 

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"A lot of them are non-actors who are neighbours or friends that wanted to be in the film and wanted to support the cause. It was a huge community project," Samuel said. 

He added that the feature film is a success for young people as it highlights their ambition and energy.

"t shows we’re not just on our phones all the time," he said.