A COMEDY short filmed in Harwich has been chosen for a competition at a major film festival in Texas.

It’s Not Custard was mostly filmed at Harwich and Dovercourt High School in 2015.

Created and directed by former pupil Kate McCoid, the film is a dark comedy short about a girl who is bullied for her acne.

After winning Sickest Film at the Sick ‘N’ Wrong Film Festival in November, it has now been chosen for the Midnight Shorts Competition at the South by South West Film Festival next month.

The South by South West Film festival in Austin, Texas, has become known as a launching pad for comedy with 100,000 attending every year.

It has staged the premiere of films such as 21 Jump Street, Bridesmaids and Neighbors.

Kate said she was shocked at the selection as she thought she had come of the end of her festival run with It’s Not Custard.

She added: “We won Sickest Film at Sick ‘N’ Wrong Film Festival in November, which was really cool and have just had two wonderful screenings at Underwire and London Short Film Festival.

“It’s been such a good year and I’m extremely grateful for it.

“I thought we were winding down and then I got the acceptance email and I’m so excited to be given this opportunity.”

Kate has thanked the British Film Council for giving her a travel grant to help foot the bill of attending.

She said: “It was well out of my budget to afford going to this festival, but the British Film Council has made it possible and I’m completely indebted to them. This means so much to me and to be able to attend is just brilliant.

“I can’t wait to share something that was shot in my hometown Harwich with an audience like this.”

The South by South West Film Festival runs from March 8 to 16.

For more information, visit itsnotcustard.com.