Scottish schoolgirl nabs top prize at Cannes

A seven-year-old schoolgirl was celebrating this week after scooping a Best Actress gong… at The Cannes Film Festival.

Katherine Abuaglain won the award for best leading actress in The Indie Fest category at the world's most prestigious film event.

The talented youngster, from Edinburgh, stars in the short film 'Bra-et Al Rouh' - which translates as 'Innocence of the Spirit'.

Her film tells the story of a young Palestinian girl who strikes up friendship with a homeless man on the streets of the capital.

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Katherine - whose previous acting experience is limited to her school stage - wowed judges in Cannes and scooped the glittering honour at The Indie Fest for independent film.

The schoolgirl, who attends Preston Street Primary School in Edinburgh, said: "I'm so excited to have been in the film, the children at my school think it's really good that I was in it.

"When I grow up I might want to be an actress.

"My teacher put it on YouTube and they played the trailer for the film in school."

Bra-et Al Rouh was directed by Queen Margaret University lecturer Walid Salhab and the film draws parallels between a homeless man on the streets of Edinburgh and the refugees in the Middle East.

Walid, who was also rewarded with the Award of Merit at the prestigious Best Shorts Competition, said: "I was worried about working with children before but Katherine put me and the rest of the crew at ease.

"She behaved like a professional all the way."

Some of the stars Katherine could rub shoulders with this year at Cannes include Brad Pitt, Kelly Brook and Eva Longoria.