ONYSHA COLLINS, Ealing-based film-maker and spoken word artist, is one of five finalists in a national competition Dream to Screen.

The contest is fronted by actor-rapper Ashley Walters and boasts Dame Judi Dench, Dame Helen Mirren and BAFTA executive Amanda Berry on the judging panel.

Aspiring filmmakers were asked to submit a short film based on the theme Inspiration earlier this year.

Onysha’s 90-second pitch was selected from more than 500 entries sent by 16-25 year-olds across the UK and Ireland.

Each finalist was appointed a mentor and given a budget of £2,000 and equipment to create a short film of between two and four minutes long.

The film centres on Maliki, an autistic boy who has a difficult relationship with his father. When his mother dies, Maliki believes he can grow wings and fly up to meet her in the sky.

The film poignantly instils hope in the viewer, as well as raising awareness on autism within the Afr0-Caribbean community. The finalist with the most votes between September 1-19 gets his or her film shown at every Cineworld cinema in the country.

You can vote for the film using this link: http://www.dreamtoscreen.org/nominees/310/onysha-collins Onysha’s other work can be found on her website: www.onysha.co.uk