A film shot in Birmingham's Handsworth park about a girl who goes missing has won an award at a European film festival.

Joy depicts a reconstruction of a teenager's last walk through the park.

Local people, rather than professional actors, were used throughout the seven-minute feature which has scooped the Rotterdam International Film Festival PRIX UIP prize.

Produced by London-based film company Desperate Optimist, the fictional film was commissioned by Birmingham City Council's Arts Team as a community participation project.

Nina Jowett, an arts project officer at the authority who lead the project, said: "The subject matter is very sensitive. It is reconstruction of a young girl who goes missing that is based in the park where she walked through.

"The people in the park are going through their normal activities, and they are all members of the local community.

"Handsworth park is the backdrop but it could be any park. Joy is supposed to be about 18 and the voice over talks about the type of person she is. What she likes to do."

Ms Jowett said the film was more than just a police-type reconstruction.

"It isn't anything like Crimewatch - it is art house and very British. The film is beautifully shot. It was a rare opportunity for people to get behind the scenes, put their ideas across and help to make the project the success it has become."

Joy will be premiered at Birmingham's AMC Broadway cinema at Five Ways on March 17.

The film is now set to be put forward for a European Film Academy award and the Rotterdam International Film Festival has also selected it for a national tour of The Netherlands. On the back of the film, Handsworth Park could be put on the map with JOY expected to be screened at film festivals throughout Europe.

Parks manager Peter Short said: "We saw the making of the film as an excellent opportunity to show Handsworth park in all its glory on an international stage.

"A lot of work has gone into creating a beautiful outdoor space and we were very excited that the park and local communities have had the chance to work on this and create such a fantastic short film."