A GIFTED Widnes schoolgirl has made her debut in the starring role of an Indiana Jones style adventure film.

Seven-year-old Ella Busow only auditioned as an extra but made such an impact, she was cast as the lead in ‘Sophie’s Fortune: The Treasure of Quetzalcoatl’.

The 25-minute film follows a father’s treasure hunt at a children’s birthday party, where imagination takes over, transforming it into an action-packed adventure with lush jungle landscapes, sprawling Aztec ruins, with blockbuster special effects.

It’s been described as Indiana Jones meets The Goonies with its fun and fantastical take on action and excitement.

It will be screened at film festivals across the UK and America.

Ella’s dad, Paul, of Foxley Heath, said: “She absolutely loved it. She just settled right in.

“Originally, she was going to be an extra, but they were so impressed by her, they cast her as the lead.

“She had speaking parts. We’re really proud of her. She took it all in her stride.”

Ella, a pupil at Fairfield Juniors, has been having acting lessons at Stagecoach in Warrington since she was four.

Paul, the director of a construction company in Astmoor, Runcorn, said: “It was filmed in the holidays. Ella was very excited and couldn’t wait to to back to school to tell everyone.

“She’s watched the trailer about 50 times.”

Ella’s mum, Adele, a swimming teacher, and her dad, accompanied her on location.

Award-winning film director, Chris Cronin shot the ambitious no budget movie in Bolton and Batley.

He said: “Ella had that real cinematic quality about her. She just had one of those faces that you can watch.

“She did a video recording showing happy, bored and all different emotions exactly as we wanted it.

“I didn’t know it was her first film, she’s jumped straight to the top.

“She will be seen around the world. It can only benefit her and do her well.”

The trailer (below) has already attracted more than 4,000 viewers.