Tsawwassen's Emma Karwandy came away with the best actress in a leading role award at the Burbank International Film Festival last month.
"I was just in complete shock," Karwandy said, talking about her reaction when she'd found out she won.
She was at the event to collect her award.
The 12-year-old played Julie Jones in the short film Death Wish. The movie, which is about Death touching a little girl's soul by granting her fondest wish on Christmas Eve, provided Karwandy with her favourite role so far in her career.
"It was really fun, it was the best shoot I've been on yet," she said.
Karwandy's Internet Movie Database page notes she's appeared in 14 different projects, including a role in the 2009 film The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, dating back to 2004.
She says she's loved acting for as long she can remember.
Death Wish, written and directed by Chad Costen and produced by Timo Puolitaipale, is available on iTunes.
The Burbank International Film Festival's mission is to "promote up-and-coming filmmakers by providing a gateway to expand their careers in the entertainment industry," its website states.