TRIADS, Yardies and Onion Bhajees is the title of a film starring an actress from Woodford Green, that has just scooped the award for the best black and Asian film at the Cannes Film Festival.

Sandra Spencer, of Hookstone Way, Woodford Green, plays Sandy, a door supervisor at a club where gangsters hang out as they attempt to get their hands on the proceeds of a $6m robbery at Heathrow Airport.

As well as negotiating the attentions of the competing gangs, Miss Spencer played a crucial role behind the scenes.

She said: "I have been very involved in promoting and co-ordinating the publicity for the film and doing all the choreography for the fight scenes.

"One of the best bits was going to Cannes to receive the award and mingling with stars like Clint Eastwood and Kevin Spacey, who were there to see it at the screening."

Producer Manish Patel said: "We wanted someone who was lovely to look at but also had the acting skills to back it up.

"There are only a couple of black actresses who have really made it in this country and I think Sandra will be the third."

The film fought off competition for the prestigious Cannes award from the hit movie Anita and Me and an American entry, Barbershop.

Miss Spencer has already completed three other films this year and says her dream would be to get the female lead in a blockbuster action movie.

She says, however, that one of her most rewarding experiences was playing Adriana in The Comedy of Errors at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre last year.

The movie will next be seen in this country at the Bradford Film Festival on June 21 and at the Ealing Film Festival in July. Producers are hoping to secure a national release for it at the end of August.

May 30, 2003 15:30