FIVE Hereford teenagers star in a short film showing at London Film Festival.

Special People by Justin Edgar is one of six short-listed films in the 2005 best short film competition.

Director Justin approached the students at the Bishop of Hereford's Bluecoat School, whom he worked with once before on a Rural Media Company project called All Board - itself an award-winner.

This time it was down to the cast to come up with the dialogue, worked out during improvisation workshops prior to the location shoot.

The 34-year-old, who runs his own company in Sutton Coldfield, set up 104 Films in 2004 to make films in Birmingham with fresh talent.

Special People is a film about the making of a film, and tells of a director's attempt to work with a group of disabled children which backfires.

The teenagers prove to have plenty of attitude and little respect for 'yet another worthy arts project' which they perceive to be dull.

"It is very much their film. They wrote it and directed it," Justin said.

"They were over the moon when Justin contacted them," said Steve Phipps, special education needs co-ordinator at the school. "They absolutely loved making the film."

The three-day shoot on the Malvern Hills was hard work - three of the cast have electric wheelchairs and two use manual ones.

"The main reason we did it is to show we do our best, even when it's a struggle," said Annie Pears, aged 15.

"If it gets the point across, it is worth it," said Robyn Frampton, 14. "The next film I want to get paid for! I am still waiting for my role in EastEnders..."

Special People premiered at this year's Edinburgh International Film Festival.

The winner of the Turner Classic Movies classic shorts competition will be announced at the National Film Theatre on November 2 as part of the 49th Times bfi London Film Festival. Gurinder Chadha, Dame Helen Mirren, Alan Rickman and Kate Winslet are four of the 13 judges who will choose the best short film from the original 459 submitted.

The six shortlisted films are screened at the festival as part of the Short Cuts and Animation strand on Wednesday and, again, during the award ceremony - to which the cast has been invited.

TCM classic shorts is one of the most prestigious short film competitions in Europe with £10,000 prize money on offer.

In its sixth year, it is expected to gather more exposure than ever, with previous winners being shown at Cannes.