It took a year in the making, two days to film and 3 months to edit.
But for 17-year-old Abigail Knight the rewards were massive as she scooped the pool in the annual Bond University Film and Television Awards (BUFTA).
Moreover, her winning BUFTA entry, “More Than Milk”, is now being used across 26 countries as a promotional fund-raising vehicle for one of India’s biggest social business programs – the Institute for Indian Mother and Child (IIMC).
Abigail’s film, shot in Dhaki, India, near Calcutta where the IIMC is based, was one of 27 entries by high school students in the university’s prestigious event which offers the winner the lucrative full scholarship to Bond’s Bachelor of Film and Television.
Hailing from Emmanuel College on the Gold Coast, Abigail said she had been experimenting with stills and movies for a few years, getting the most out of her Canon 200D.
She said she knew she wanted to enter the competition with a long-term view to securing a career in the industry, but inspiration for the award-winning film only came during a month-long visit to India with her mother.
“Mum had volunteered with the Institute for Indian Mother and Child since she was 18 and took me to Calcutta to see the work they do.
“There are so many projects the IIMC does since it started in 1989, including schools and clinics, that it took me a while to decide on the social business program they call the cow project.”
Battling a “very different culture”, Abigail said the IIMC’s director Dr Sujit Brahmochary (who was Mother Teresa’s medical director where he met Abigail’s mum) helped organise eight women to tell their stories on camera.
Her film follows their stories, outlining how buying a cow, thanks to small business loan from IIMC, had changed their lives and that of their communities from poverty to profitable businesses.
The importance of a cow in Indian society was one of the driving forces behind the business start-ups, and women who now own a cow produce and sell milk, cheese and yoghurt, cow dung fire fuel, as well as planting crops with the money they earn - more than just milk.
With an interpreter by her side to capture the heart-warming stories of women who have worked their way out of poverty, Abigail directed and filmed over two long 2 days, then spent three months editing at home.
The film captures the emotion and hope of the women who now control their own farms and finance.
“The women were so nice and friendly when we interviewed them, and invited us into their homes for tea.”
Last week she turned her lifelong love of watching movies into something very valuable when “More Than Milk” won Best Film, Best Director and Best Overall Filmmaker at the BUFTA awards held at the university last week.
“I was so surprised. I totally did not expect to win.
“I was told it is rare for a documentary to win.”
Abigail said she will use her scholarship at Bond to develop a career in script writing and directing.
Dr Darren Paul Fisher, the Head of Film, Screen and Creative Media at Bond University said: “Sometimes we look at a film and it’s just that good.
“And I think, wow, at that age they’ve done that.
“That’s pretty stunning.”
He said young film pioneers would have access to the Hollywood talent pipeline through their networking at Bond.
“Over the last 10 years the Gold Coast has developed into a truly global production hub for the screen industry, and it’s only going to gain momentum in the next decade.
“It’s an incredibly exciting time to be in the screen industry, full of opportunities that I’m sure the next generation is going to take full advantage of.”
Queensland and Gold Coast entries dominated the 27 finalists, with 10 hailing from Gold Coast schools - the most finalists the city has had in a decade.
For the first time, Bond University hosted an evening film festival to showcase all of the BUFTA finalists, with winners announced after the final screening.