A FILM about Holocaust survivors who sought sanctuary in the Lake District has been shortlisted for a BAFTA.

The Windermere Children, released in January 2020, is vying for the prize in the Single Drama category.

It tells the story of the 300 orphaned Jewish refugees who began new lives in the town in the summer of 1945.

Trevor Avery, who runs the Lake District Holocaust Project in Windermere, was an adviser on the film and said he was ‘delighted’ following its nomination.

“I am delighted, it is fantastic news,” he said.

“It is up against real stiff competition but just being nominated for a BAFTA is significant enough”

Director Michael Samuels and writer Simon Block worked on the film and frequently consulted with Mr Avery.

Supplying most of the film’s historical material, Mr Avery has credited the work of the production crew.

He said: “What I was most delighted about was that it wasn’t too sugar-coated and there was a sense of melancholy in it and that’s what it was like at the time. There was a lot of anxiety for them. They had got out of that horribleness that they survived, got to this beautiful place and had to start rebuilding their lives.

“It was an enormous project, you could make a film about each of the survivors, but Simon managed to hone it down to a 90-minute drama. I was really pleased with it.”

Filmed on the same set as Game of Thrones, Mr Avery pointed to a special moment during filming.

He said: “Everyone had a lump in their throat when the group of youngsters came out in 40s clothes and ran to the lakeside. It was more real than real. It was shocking just how well it was done.”

Windermere councillor Ben Berry is pleased to see the film being recognised.

“It solidifies Windermere as a great place for films but this is clearly even more amazing due to its historical and biographical nature," he said. "It is an unheard story and the more people that know about the children the better. We should be very proud of our community’s role.”