A FILM made in Bolton is to be released at cinemas across the UK and in America.

Kandahar Break, written and directed by 32-year-old David Whitney, from Horwich, has been snapped up by distributors on both sides of the Atlantic.

The low-budget thriller has won praise at film festivals all over the world, most recently winning Best Film at the Philadelphia Independent Film Festival.

The feature length movie, set in 1999, is the fictional story of British bomb disposal experts, working to rid deserts surrounding the ancient Afghan city of Kandahar of land mines. But when their lives are put at risk, the team is forced to escape across the border to Pakistan.

The production team endured a torrid time in the Balochistan region of Pakistan when they shot the film in 2008, and were plunged into a real-life drama when they came under fire from Taliban gunmen.

Four of the Pakistani crew were shot as they made their way to filming, fortunately escaping with minor injuries, and the British team was escorted out of the area under police guard.

The film features Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes star Dean Andrews and former Coronation Street and EastEnders actor Shaun Dooley.

The movie has been picked up by London-based distributors Revolver and US distributors Peacearch Entertainment. It will open in New York in August and will be released at cinemas across the UK in September.

Mr Whitney said: “From the outset we strived to make a marketable movie that would entice distributors and also thrill and inform audiences. My whole team bought into this ethos, and everyone delivered.”

The deals are a major coup for Mr Whitney and Horwich-based Millhouse Films, who made the film with financial backing from Bolton businessman Keith Maher.

Millhouse Films is now considering an offer from a French distributor and Mr Whitney is looking to develop new film projects.

steven.thompson@ theboltonnews.co.uk