I, Daniel Blake, the new film by Ken Loach starring comedian Dave Johns, is a contender for the prestigious Palme D'Or Award at the forthcoming Cannes Film Festival.

In the film the stand-up from Wallsend – in his first major screen acting role – plays a middle aged joiner who needs state welfare after illness. He meets a single mother who is also dependent on welfare and the story follows them as they negotiate the benefits system. Hayley Squires co-stars.

Johns has been a successful comedian for over two decades. In recent years he has also acted onstage regularly, appearing in a number of hit shows. He was in One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest,  Twelve Angry Men and also The Odd Couple with Bill Bailey and Alan Davies. 

The film was scripted by Paul Laverty and shot in and around Newcastle last year. It will be released in the UK later this year.

Veteran director Loach previously won a Palme D'Or for 2008’s The Wind That Shakes the Barley.

Posting the news on Facebook Johns simply said "Can't quite believe it."