HIS WORK has already wowed audiences at a top London film festival.

Now, Almondbury amateur film-maker Marco Zaffino is conquering the Hawaiian silver screen after being chosen for an award at the Honolulu International Film Festival.

The dad-of-two will receive a Gold Kahuna Award for Excellence in Filmmaking when the 2010 ceremony takes place in April.

Marco’s £1,500 feature film Kino is up for the prize after fighting off competition from dozens of big name movies with million-dollar budgets.

He will receive the award alongside the likes of the film Charlie Valentine – starring Tom Berenger – which cost $6m to make.

Marco, who is married to Becki and has two children Finn, four, and Indigo, two, was delighted to hear the news.

He said: “I had to read the email a few times, I couldn’t believe it. I celebrated with a bit of cake.

“I’m really proud of everyone who was involved in that film.

“Everyone must have stepped up their game to be able to complete at this level.

“I just loved making it. It is from the heart.”

The contemporary thriller is centred on a couple who have grown bored of life and decide to embark on an adventure.

Using the internet, they hunt out extraordinary people and discover Kino – a master film-maker with dangerous methods – whose cast and crew never make it to the premieres.

Much of the film was shot around Huddersfield.

The cast and crew all worked for free, in the absence of any funding.

Marco, 36, who runs an after school club, added: “When you are making something so huge for no money you start to think, am I just playing at it?

“To get something like this, it makes me feel I am building up a craft.

“Especially when you think I am competing against some really big budget films.

“It means a lot. It will help open more doors for me. People will now read my letters or open my emails.”

Unfortunately Marco – a former All Saints High School pupil – will be unable to celebrate his success fully.

The price to collect his prestigious award is double the cost of making the 100-minute film.

He added: “I don’t think I’ll be able to collect my award – it will cost double the film’s budget just to get there.

“I still have the £800 classification certificate to buy for the film so it can be screened. It all comes out of my wage so I have to keep my feet on the ground.”

Marco completed Kino in October 2009. He is now hoping the film will win more accolades on the film festival circuit to add to its prestige.

He will then look at distributing his work.

His latest success comes just a month after his eight-minute film The Faery Tale of Rose and Magdalene was chosen to be screened on the opening night of the London Short Film Festival.