TWO Isle of Wight actors will be treading the red carpet in Florida after a film in which they starred was nominated for Best Screenplay by the International Christian Film Festival.

Lois Temel, of Ryde, and Cliff Dutton, of Rookley, will be travelling to Orlando at the end of April and will be rubbing shoulders with the likes of Oscar-winning Louis Gossett Jr and Cameron Arnett of TV series Miami Vice and Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Lois and Cliff took part in the independent film Desert River, much of which was filmed on the Island.

The film is about a British Naval Officer who is kidnapped and tortured while serving in The Gulf.

He makes it back to England but suffers from PTSD and alcoholism.

In an attempt to sober up for good and win back his life he decides to walk the length of Africa from Casa Blanca to Cape Town.

The film was written and produced by Braam Ackemann who plays the lead role of Commander John Davids.

He will be accompanying Louis, who played his wife Linda, and Cliff, who was Lt Dan Grant.

Lois, who is RADA trained and has credits for stage, screen and radio, said: "We're so excited. There will be a special screening of the film with a question and answer session.

"We will also get to walk on the red carpet and we have VIP seats at the awards ceremony.

"And we have the chance to speak to Cameron Arnett, who will be part of a film industry panel of experts, when we will be able to pitch some new ideas to him."

Lois also helped to produce and write some scenes in the film, and added: "I want to showcase the Island as a wonderful place to film.

"During Desert River various parts of the Island acted as scenes for Sierra Leone, Namibia, Saudi Arabia and South Africa.

"And on the red carpet I will be wearing shoes by Lucy Choi, the niece of Jimmy Choo, who now designs them in her own name. I sat next to Lucy at Ryde High School."

Cliff, is a member of the Island Savoyards and has had parts in 'Victoria and Albert' and 'Tholiprema' a Bollywood movie filmed on the Island.

He said: "I had a small but integral part in Desert River because I get killed off. For my character I had to lose a lot of weight because I was a kidnap victim and lost four inches off my middle.

"We're all really looking forward to the trip, and the challenge, and we hope the film will get a bigger audience."

There are also plans to have a summer outdoor screening of the film at Puckpool Park as some of the scenes were filmed there.