behind the camera.

And the budding film director has just scored another triumph -- recognition from film director Spike Lee.

The movie giant picked out the New York University student's film work for a prestigious award -- the Spike Lee Fellowship.

As well as the honour, the talented 26-year-old carried off $5,000. Not to mention the confidence to follow her dreams.

"It's a really great honour. I'm a big admirer of Spike Lee,'' said Ms Swan, who is taking a Masters degree in film directing. "It's terrific that he has recognised my work, and it has given me a lot of momentum.'' The Hon. Sir John Swan, whose two other children are also at US universities, was naturally delighted by his elder daughter's success.

"She is doing her own thing, and I am very proud of her,'' he said.

The fellowship was set up in tribute to Spike Lee, the man behind such movie blockbusters as She's Gotta Have It, Do The Right Thing, Jungle Fever, and his latest, the controversial Malcolm X.

The acclaimed director is a former student at NYU's Tisch School of Film, where Ms Swan is starting her final year of a three-year course.

Ms Swan, who writes and directs her own scripts, applied for the award a year ago, and found herself competing with around 25 fellow students.

The work which caught Spike Lee's eye was her 15-minute colour film, Companera, which is Spanish for female comrade.

It features a growing friendship between two women -- Martinez, a Hispanic prison guard, and Roberta, an Afro-American prisoner and revolutionary.

The film was shot at New York's Fishkill Prison and Brookland's old Police precinct.

Another of Ms Swan's acclaimed works is Dead Homiez, a silent 12-minute black and white film.

It is about a black urban youth, Desmond, and his battle to find money for his best friend's funeral.

"He does not want him buried in a mass grave,'' explained Ms Swan, who is helped by a film crew.

Ms Swan was not actually presented with her award by Spike Lee himself, although she has met him.

She plans to spend her cheque on her next project, which she describes as a "modern day Adam and Eve'' story.

Shooting is planned in Bermuda at the end of June, and the film, still untitled, should be complete when she graduates in December.

One small problem still needs to be resolved -- the location for the shoot.

"I am looking for a house with a garden, that has a boundary and where you can't see any other houses or water,'' she laughed.

"If someone is out there who can help I would be grateful.'' With graduation over, a tireless Alison is planning yet another venture, this time a low-budget comedy, laced with irony.

"It will be about life in Bermuda,'' she said enigmatically.

It is not the first time Ms Swan has displayed her talents on the Island.

Two years ago she made a short film of the Cathedral to boost its restoration fund.

Sadly, however, with no high-profile film industry on the Island, it seems her future will eventually lie in the United States.

Among directors she admires Lee, Martin Scorsese, and Stanley Kubrick, of 2001 Space Odyssey renown.

But asked about possible role models she might want to emulate, she had a ready answer.

"I want to be Alison Swan.''