YOUNG filmmakers from the region are to battle it out with the world’s best after they were selected to feature at a prestigious American film festival.

The eight strong group, all digital media graduates from Sunderland University, explore the dark side of the web in their series ‘403 Forbidden’.

The series, screened over five episodes, is to be shown at ITVFest, being held in Vermont, which claims to give the world’s best filmmakers “direct front door access to Hollywood’s best studios and networks”.

Previously, television networks NBC and Comedy Central have bought pilot scripts from attendees at the festival.

It has also attracted celebrity panel appearances from the cast and crew of The Simpsons and House, featuring Briton Hugh Laurie.

The graduates have already gained a Royal Television Society nomination for their work and been honoured with a ‘Webby’ award alongside shows like ‘The Walking Dead’.

They have achieved such recognition while only spending £2,000 to date – a fraction of some of their industry competitors.

Their latest project was selected to feature at ITVFest ahead of 300 other submissions from across the globe.

Connor Langley, 403 Forbidden writer and director, said: “I think I can speak for the entire team when I say we are overwhelmed with the success of this project.

“When we had first started back in 2014 we knew we wanted to do something ambitious but never thought it would achieve this amount of international attention. “