WELSH actor Catrin Stewart has been given the top performance award at the Edinburgh International Film Festival for a film based at the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth.

The Library Suicides is based on Fflur Dafydd’s bestselling novel Y Llyfrgell and marks award-winning director Euros Lyn’s feature length debut.

The award is given for the best performance in a British feature film and the jury this year consisted of international stars Kim Cattrall, Clancy Brown and Iciar Bollain.

“We wanted to recognise the striking performance by Catrin Stewart in The Library Suicides," the jury said.

"The complexities and subtleties of playing twin characters is challenging and she managed to achieve the rare feat of making each of the two roles she played truly distinctive.”

The film will premiere in Wales at a special event during this year’s National Eisteddfod at Abergavenny in August.

In the offbeat thriller Catrin, known to many following her roles in Dr Who and Stella, plays twin daughters Nan and Ana, who embark on a murderous quest at the National Library in Aberystwyth.

Catrin said: "Thank you EIFF! I feel hugely honoured to be given this award. It was my first feature film role and a fantastic challenge to play two characters side by side."

See this week’s south editions for the full story, in shops and online now