TWO radically contrasting films touching important life issues are to be premiered by their young makers next week.

The movies, made by two groups attending a Barnardo's advice centre, will be shown to an invited audience, including Hartlepool Mayor Stuart Drummond.

The young people all use Barnardo's B76 service, an information and advice centre for young people in Hartlepool.

The ideas for the films came from the young people, who also researched, wrote and acted in them.

The films were then made with the help of a local professional film company, Carpet Films, whose work with community groups is funded by Northern Film And Media.

The first film, The Good, the Bad and the Internet is a comedy. Its makers, three boys and two girls, aged 12 to 16, dealt with problems associated with Internet chatrooms in a light-hearted way.

Lindsay Gould, the Barnardo's worker who guided the young people, said: "They made a film in which a boy who is using chatrooms has an angel and a devil, invisible to everyone but him, talking to him about the internet.

In contrast, Check This Out, made by another group of teenagers, is a hard-hitting film on the dangers of the drug ecstasy and its links to the rave and dance scene.

The films will be shown on Tuesday, at 6pm, in Hartlepool Town Hall Theatre.

"The angel warns him about it and the dangers of using chatrooms and the devil encourages him - but both making thought provoking points."

ENDS

$P$

$Basket=newseditor

$User=H_COOK

$Byline=Helen Cook

$FileName=S B76comedy