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Precocious Indiana 12-Year-old Filmmaker Earns Accolades

Last updated on Sunday, March 25, 2012

(CARMEL) - At just 12-years-old, an Indiana filmmaker is getting recognition thanks to his latest project, a documentary put together with the purpose of helping children and families in Africa.

"It was a story that he made up about a boy (who) goes back in time to the Renaissance period and befriends a good knight, and they fight the bad guys," said Donna Broyles, Luke's mother. "Then, his next film was based on a true event that happened to him -- he rescued a duck from a baby hawk."

In all, Broyles has made six films so far, about one a year. His latest work, a documentary entitled "G," sheds light on the constant struggle for clean water and food in Mali in West Africa.

As explained in the film, a village well is about 40 feet deep, and people come from miles around to draw water from it, often finding it dry during the country's dry season.

The documentary premiered this week at Creekside Middle School in Carmel, where Luke is a student, and it is already making waves.

Luke has begun collecting donations to drill deep wells for the people of Mali.

"I think he's definitely brilliant, but I would say he's gifted," said Papou Sissoko, founder of NuAfrica.org. "You don't see many children his age wanted to do help like this."

Luke's film was nominated for an award at a film festival in Alabama, and more schools have plans to show it.

"It's amazing, because in middle school, you don't think kids would be doing a lot of stuff," said fellow student Hannah Cler. "They'd just be focusing on school work, but just his young age and his skill is amazing."

Luke is now working on a new film that he describes as a science fiction flick. The script is already written, and filming is set to begin this summer.

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