Beer Social Club was “transformed into Hollywood” full of glamourous star-struck guests for the “world premiere” of a new short film staring octogenarian actors and other local amateur thespians.

The launch of the short film, The (In)Famous Five, was held on Sunday June 24.

“It was excellent,” said Chrissy Evans, from Beer, who wrote and directed the movie and rolled out the red carpet last week.

“It was all very glamourous and everyone was very complimentary and there was a lot of applauding and laughing.”

The “global premiere” featured chocolate Oscars for the “best giggle” and the “best ogle”, all presented by a specially-invited theatre director from London, Anna Ed.

The short film cast entirely of over-60s was conceived to redress the balance against the predominance of youth in the media.

Its comic plot focussed on how Enid Blyton’s youthful Famous Five might have aged.

“I’m very proud of them all,” said Ms Evans, who recruited all the actors for the company she named Bus Pass Productions from amongst her friends and contacts.

“Two of them are in their eighties and only two of them have ever done any form of amateur dramatics before, let alone acting in a film,” she added.

The Infamous Five now appears on YouTube and the group are hoping to “get as many hits as they can” and to enter the film in festivals, before launching a new project.

For Ms Evans, a retired English language teacher, making films is something she “should have done years ago” and she is now making up for lost time.

To view the flick, which features people and scenes from Beer, Seaton and Colyton, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFptOIRT8vo