An independent film company that backs new talent is to promote its movies in Cannes.

Supersonic Films, based on the Rudford Industrial Estate, Arundel, was set up less than a year ago to champion British film makers.

The small distribution firm is already making a name for itself and will next month host a stall at the Mipcom international trade show in Cannes in the south of France.

Supersonic will showcase a number of independent films including South Coast: The Movie - a documentary about Brighton's hip hop scene.

Other films include a gritty drama called Lunatic, about a day in the life of south London gangsters, and the documentary spoof The Dark Hunter, described as The Blair Witch Project meets This is Spinal Tap.

Mark Maitland, 32, who has a background in distribution with his family's toys and games business Hobby Games, launched Supersonic in December.

He had spent the previous five years in Australia training as an actor and film director and decided to set up the company when he returned home to Rustington, near Worthing.

He runs the firm from his Arundel office and employs a commercial director, Tony Lee, based in Notting Hill, London.

Mr Maitland said: "I started the company because of my passion for films. I love acting but couldn't always get parts, so I started shooting my own short films, writing scripts, making my own films.

"Then I started to think, what happens then?' So many people are out there making good films that just don't get seen."

Supersonic Films aims to get some of those movies into the public domain. The firm buys the rights to films and documentaries and tries to find an outlet for them.

Mr Maitland said: "We respect quality work. There are some really beautiful films out there that no one knows about and may never be seen."