When Abby Hooker and John McDonald’s son Charlie was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis (CF), the couple launched a ‘Paint it Red’ fundraising campaign, and Tayla Dawson said it caught her interest.

“I kind of got inspired by that and started having these creative thoughts in my head about how I could create a film to raise awareness,” the 17-year-old said.

“Because I didn’t know what cystic fibrosis was, I had no idea, and so many people I’ve spoken to have no idea either.

“She thought if the message was accessible and spread, it might work towards finding a cure.”

Her film, Cystic Fibrosis, has reached the final 10, out of more than 500 entries, for the inaugural SmartFone Flick Fest (SF3). 

She said the film follows her current storytelling, documentary filmmaking style. 

As she worked, her questions and her journey gave her a deeper understanding of the incurable disease.

“I discovered things along the way,” she said.

Tayla shot Cystic Fibrosis on June 19 with her iPhone 6 and with Abby’s help rounding up interviews, she filmed a range of locals sharing their thoughts and stories about CF.

A mentor, filmmaker Jason van Genderen, who Tayla met through the North West Film Festival saw the film on her Facebook page. 

He encouraged her to enter it in the SF3.

“I was only thinking the other day. ‘It mustn’t have got through; I haven’t heard anything’.

“And then I found out I was in the top 10 from over 500 entries, and yes, it’s pretty cool,” she grinned.

Tayla has been invited to the Chauvel Cinema in Paddington for the SF3 gala awards night next Friday, August 28.

Judges will pick the overall winner, but there is a second People’s Choice Award decided by votes from the public.

“The film with the most likes, gets People’s Choice,” Tayla said.

You can vote for Tayla’s film and view the other nine finalists beginning Friday, August 21 on the Facebook page: SF3. 

Tayla’s film is also on You Tube. Search for ‘Cystic Fibrosis Tayla Dawson’.