A 15-year-old director from Santa Clarita recently won the award for “Best Director” at the 2019 IFS Film Festival for his work on a film he directed when he was only 14 years old.

Griffin Loch was recently named “Best Director” at the 2019 Independent Filmmakers Showcase (IFS) Film Festival for his work on “The Adventure of T.P. Man and Flusher.” The film itself was also nominated for “Best Picture,” as well as being recognized by the 2019 IndieFest Film Awards.

“It’s really a film that deals with teenage depression and suicide,” Loch said. “But I wanted to make it feel accessible for teens that are dealing with this to feel comfortable to reach out and say something.”

“The Adventure of T.P. Man and Flusher” is the 15-year-old’s second feature film, and is based on stories that Loch’s grandfather told him about when he and his friends were young.

“(My grandfather) and his friend would actually go TP their crushes’ houses, dressed up in costumes,” Loch said. “They thought it would really impress them. I always thought that that was such an interesting and weird idea.”

During the making of the film, Loch worked with a cast of about 14 people, with some being as young as 13 years old. And while approximately 15 percent of the cast were friends, the rest were actors cast after auditions, Loch said.

“It was a lot of relying on other people because I knew we couldn’t do it alone,” said Blake Borders, who plays “The Grandaddy” in the film. “Especially Griffin, who did practically everything, which was so impressive, especially for his age. He knew exactly what he wanted.”

See More: 15-Year-Old Santa Clarita Director To Screen Full-Length Feature Film

When the film was completed, private screenings were held “up and down” the California coast, according to Loch. When they showed the film in Clovis, the local school board attended. They had lost 22 teenagers in the past four years to suicide, Loch said.

“After the film, one woman from the board stood up and said, ‘I heard that this film was a film about teenage suicide and depression, but a comedy, which doesn’t go together,’” Loch said. “‘But after seeing this film, I ask how are we not showing this film to every single student in every school in our district?’”

When Loch found out he had won “Best Director” for the IFS Film Festival, he said he couldn’t believe that it happened.

“I’m very proud of Griffin,” said Abby Stevens, who plays the character Daisy in the film. “He’s been wanting to do this his whole life. This is his dream.”

The next showing for “The Adventure of T.P. Man and Flusher” is set for Saturday, May 18, at L.A. LIVE.

“It’s still weird to think about it,” Loch said “I’m so thankful for all the support I’ve gotten from the community, from my school, from my family, from my friends. It’s just been incredible.”

To reserve tickets at the upcoming showing, click here.

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