Eastbourne actress' film wins Oscar

Rachel Fielding plays Sue in The Silent Child, which won Best Live Action Short Film.

Set in England, the feature is about a profoundly young deaf girl who struggles to communicate with the world.

Its writer and actress Rachel Shenton, also British, used sign language throughout her acceptance speech.

Fielding meanwhile said the film was close to her heart as her late mother was a speech therapist at the DGH and Willingdon School at the Deaf Unit.

She said, “As well as being a lovely human story the film really does give you a taste of how isolated it can feel to be deaf sometimes and is very moving.”

In January the actress organised a screening of The Silent Child at the Curzon cinema in the town centre to raise money for hearing dogs for the deaf.

Fielding’s career started at The National Youth Theatre at just 16-years-old, where she is now an associate artist.

She is best known for her roles in hit TV shows such as New Tricks, Blue Murder, Hotel Babylon, Secret Diary Of a Call Girl and Harry Enfield and Chums.

Her film credits include Nasty Neighbours, Speak Like A Child and How To Get Ahead In Advertising.