Watch it here

A short film starring Richard Herring in a rare acting role has scooped an award at Europe's biggest independent cinema festival.

While You Were Away, which also stars comic Rachel Stubbings, won the audience award at the ECU festival in Paris.

The pair play a married couple in the six-minute dark comedy, with Herring's character confessing to a terrible deed while his wife was away from home.

Writer Gabriel Miller said: 'Even though it’s a comedy it’s very dark and dramatic, representing quite a bold new direction for Richard as an actor.'

And Herring himself tweeted: 'I am unusually quite pleased with my own performance.'

While You Were Away was directed by Ben Mallaby, who has helmed several short films including Nat Luurtsema's Island Queen, which was nominated for best British short film at the 2014 Baftas.

The 'absurdly harrowing' film will next be screened as part of the Short Film Corner at Cannes in May.

Or you can watch it here:

Published: 11 Apr 2016