Mae Canolfan Ffilm Cymru (FHW) wedi dyfarnu £52,700 mewn cyllid Loteri Cenedlaethol, drwy Gronfa Arddangos Ffilmiau Rhwydwaith Cynulleidfa BFI (FAN) i 8 sinema annibynnol a gwyliau ffilm wrth iddyn nhw ailagor yn dilyn Covid-19. I rai, dyma fydd y tro cyntaf i’w drysau agor ers Mawrth 2020.
Defnyddir arian i helpu i gyflwyno’r ffilmiau DU a rhyngwladol gorau yn ôl i’r sgrin fawr mewn cymunedau yng Nghymru. Fe fydd arddangoswyr yn cefnogi llesiant a lleihau ynysigrwydd a grewyd gan y pandemig, a chynnig digwyddiadau fforddiadwy a hygyrch i gynulleidfaoedd ar-lein ac yn y sinemau lleol maen nhw’n eu hadnabod a’u caru. O linynnau ffilmiau a qollwyd i animeiddio Cymreig niwroamrywiol fe fydd cymunedau yn chwarae rôl allweddol mewn ffurfio dychweliad sinema.
Yn Theatr Gwaun yn Abergwaun maen nhw wedi bod yn brysur yn ail-lunio’r rhaglen ffilmiau a’r adeilad gyda chymorth y gymuned. Gall cynulleidfaoedd ddisgwyl gofod wedi’i ddiwedaru yn cynnwys caffi Martha a gweithgareddau newydd i ymwelwyr ifanc.
Dywedodd Sue Whitbread, Prif Weithredwraig Theatr Gwaun:
Mae’r dyfarniad gan Ganolfan Ffilm Cymru yn golygu ein bod yn gallu agor ein drysau eto ym mis Gorffennaf fel yr addawyd i’n cymuned. Theatr Gwaun ydy’r unig arddangosydd ffilmiau yng ngogledd Sir Benfro wledig ac mae’n ffynhonnell hanfodol o adloniant. Wedi gosod pob mesur diogelwch rhag Covid rydym yn barod i ailgroesawu ein cynulleidfa i amgylchedd diogel a chyfeillgar.
Mae ein panel Ffilm Cymunedol wedi datblygu rhaglen newydd sydd yn cynnwys rhagor o ffilmiau annibynnol, ffilmiau Cymraeg a nosweithiau digwyddiadau ffilm gyda chyflwynwyr gwadd. Mae pobl ifanc hefyd wedi cael eu hannog i gael mynegi barn POINT PRESENTS, noson ffilm fisol. Rydym wedi datblygu ein caffi dydd a gofod digwyddiadau, Martha, a fydd yn dangos ffilm archif a gasglwyd gan y gymuned. Mae’r adeilad hefyd yn cael gwedd newydd yr haf yma gyda murlun cymunedol newydd mawr.
Ym Mlaenau Ffestiniog, mae CellB yn dod â’r byd i’w cynulleidfa drwy ffilm, drwy eu rhaglen ieuenctid ‘Sinema’r Byd .’ Fe fydd dros 50 o ffilmiau Prydeinig a rhyngwladol i bob oed yn archwilio diwylliant a newid hinsawdd, y gall cynulleidfaoedd eu mwynhau yn ein Sgrin 2 newydd.
Dywedodd Rhys Roberts, perchennog Cellb:
Fe fydd ein pobl ifanc yn croesawu a chyfarch a chynghori, chwerthin a gwrando ar ein cynulleidfaoedd ifanc a hen. Fe fyddwn yn creu croeso Cymreig wrth i’n cynulleidfaoedd ddychwelyd i CellB a phrofi’r Sgrin 2 newydd a sefydlwyd fell le i’n holl gymuned ddod ynghyd i wylio ffilmiau.
Gyda chyfyngiadau Covid i’w hadolygu ym mis Gorffennaf mae safleoedd ar draws Cymru yn gweithio’n galed i baratoi ar gyfer ailagor yn ddiogel ac yn hyfyw.
Mae Hana Lewis, Rheolwraig Strategol Canolfan Ffilm Cymru yn esbonio:
Mae’n garreg filltir enfawr i ailagor i’r cyhoedd ac mae sinemau a gwyliau wedi gweithio’n ddiflino i wneud i hyn ddigwydd. Mae ffordd heriol o’n blaenau wrth inni ailadeiladu ac mae sinemau angen cefnogaeth cynulleidfaoedd nawr yn fwy nag erioed ond mae hon yn foment i edrych ymlaen ac adfer o’r cyfnod a dreuliwyd ar wahân. Mae ffilmiau hir ddisgwyliedig yn cael eu rhyddhau ac mae arddangoswyr yn barod i’n diddanu ond diolch i’w ffocws cymunedol mae gan bob un ohonom gyfle i chwarae rhan gweithredol yn nyfodol sinema.
Mae Cronfa Arddangos Ffilmiau FAN BFI yn bosibl drwy gyllid y Loteri Cenedlaethol gan y Sefydliad Ffilm Prydeinig (BFI) drwy ei Rwydwaith Cynulleidfa Ffilm (FAN). Mae’r gronfa yn cynnig cymorth i arddangoswyr ar draws y DU i hybu rhaglennu diwylliannol ac ymgysylltu gyda chynulleidfaoedd amrywiol wrth i gyfyngiadau lacio. Gweinyddir y cronfeydd yng Nghymru gan Ganolfan Ffilm Cymru drwy Chapter fel y Corff Arweiniol Canolfan Ffilm.
Mae’r Loteri Cenedlaetholo yn codi £36 miliwn yr wythnos i achosion da ar draws y DU.
Darllenwch y datganiad i’r wasg llawn yma
Images/Delweddau – left to right: Off Y Grid and Wicked Wales, Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival, Cardiff Animation Festival © Mission Photographic, Pontardawe Arts Centre, CellB – Sgrin 2, Theatr Gwaun July Reopening, WOW “Wales One World” Film Festival
Mae’r Loteri Genedlaethol yn croesawu carwyr ffilmiau yn ôl gyda thocynnau am ddim i dros 500 o sinemâu led led y DU ar ddydd Sadwrn 19 a dydd Sul 20 Mehefin ar gyfer Penwythnos Sinemâu’r Loteri Genedlaethol
Mae Edith Bowman, a’r cyfarwyddwyr, Dexter Fletcher a Prano Bailey-Bond yn rhannu eu cyffro am y gefnogaeth hon i’r sinema gan y gall unrhyw un sy’n chwarae’r Loteri Genedlaethol hawlio pâr o docynnau am ddim ar www.cinemaweekend.co.uk
Dydd Mercher 16 Mehefin 2021: Mae dros 200,000 o docynnau sinema am ddim ar gael i garwyr ffilmiau’r penwythnos nesaf (Dydd Sadwrn 19 a Dydd Sul 20 Mehefin), fel diolch i chwaraewyr y Loteri Genedlaethol am eu cyfraniad allweddol i ffilm.
Cynhelir Wythnos Sinemâu’r Loteri Genedlaethol, mewn partneriaeth â Sefydliad Ffilm Prydain (BFI), mewn mwy na 500 o safleoedd sinema led led y DU, gan gynnwys Cineworld, Odeon, Vue a chadwynni a sinemâu annibynnol eraill o Thurso i Penzance, ac o Goleraine i Gaerdydd.
Gall chwaraewyr ddefnyddio unrhyw docyn Loteri Genedlaethol, gêm ennill ddi-oed neu gerdyn crafu a brynwyd ar-lein neu mewn siop adwerthu (mae Amodau a Thelerau yn gymwys) i hawlio pâr o docynnau am ddim i’w defnyddio mewn sinemâu sy’n cymryd rhan trwy edrych ar www.cinemaweekend.co.uk.
Yn ystod Penwythnos Sinemâu’r Loteri Genedlaethol eleni, mae rhywbeth i bawb ei weld; o ffilmiau diweddar a gefnogir gan Sefydliad Ffilm Prydain (BFI) megis After Love gyda Joanna Scalan yn serennu ynddi, a The Reason I Jump, ffilm ddogfen sydd wedi ennill gwobr BIFA (Gwobrau Ffilmiau Annibynnol Prydain), hyd at ffilmiau poblogaidd sy’n gwerthu llawer o docynnau megis y ffilm gerddorol In the Height, Cruella gan Disney a’r ffilm arswyd A Quiet Place Part II, ynghyd â drama The Father sydd wedi ennill BAFTA ac Oscar® gyda Sir Anthony Hopkins yn serennu ynddi.
Dywedodd Edith Bowman, darlledwraig a llefarydd ar gyfer yr ymgyrch:
Fel rhywun sy’n caru’r profiad o wylio ffilmiau gyda phobl eraill, rwyf wedi colli mynd i’r sinema yn aruthrol dros y flwyddyn ddiwethaf. Unwaith y bydd y goleuadau’n cael eu diffodd a’r ffilm yn dechrau chwarae ar y sgrîn fawr, mae popeth arall yn pylu ac rydych yn cael eu trochi o fewn byd prydferth y stori benodol honno, gweledigaeth gwneuthurwr y ffilm, y cymeriadau, y gerddoriaeth – dihangfa yn ei ffurf buraf yw’r profiad cymunedol yma ac mae’n ennyn sgyrsiau mor wych. Rwyf mor gyffrous am y fenter anhygoel hon gan y Loteri Genedlaethol a’r BFI, ac rwyf wir yn gobeithio y bydd cefnogwyr ffilmiau led led y DU yn cofleidio’r cyfle gwych hwn i gefnogi eu sinema leol.
Mae Prano-Bailey Bond, y cyfarwyddwr o Gymru wedi profi effaith y buddion a ddaw yn sgil arian y Loteri Genedlaethol ei hunan. Roedd Prano, sy’n cynhyrchu ffilmiau arswyd seicolegol, yn un o’r gwneuthurwyr ffilmiau oedd yn dod i’r amlwg ac a ddewiswyd i fod yn rhan o raglen datblygiad proffesiynol y BFI sy’n rhedeg ochr yn ochr â Gŵyl Ffilmiau Llundain y BFI yn 2017. Bydd ei ffilm nodwedd gyntaf, Censor, a gefnogwyd gan y BFI a Ffilm Cymru gan ddefnyddio cronfeydd oddi wrth y Loteri Genedlaethol yn y sinemâu yn ddiweddarach eleni. Dywedodd Prano: “Mae’r BFI wedi bod yn eithriadol o gefnogol ac ni fyddwn wedi gallu gwneud Censor heb eu cefnogaeth. Wedi gwylio gwneuthurwyr ffilmiau yr wyf yn eu hedmygu’n fawr yn dod i’r amlwg trwy’r BFI, megis Lynne Ramsay (y gyfarwyddwraig Albanaidd adnabyddus ar gyfer ffilmiau megis Morvern Callar a We Need to Talk About Kevin) a Sarah Gavron (cyfarwyddwraig Rocks sydd wedi ennill BAFTA yn ddiweddar), mae’n freuddwyd i gael y gefnogaeth hon ar gyfer fy ffilm nodwedd gyntaf. Diolch yn fawr i holl chwaraewyr y Loteri Genedlaethol!”
“Mae’r BFI wedi bod yn eithriadol o gefnogol ac ni fyddwn wedi gallu gwneud Censor heb eu cefnogaeth. Wedi gwylio gwneuthurwyr ffilmiau yr wyf yn eu hedmygu’n fawr yn dod i’r amlwg trwy’r BFI, megis Lynne Ramsay (y gyfarwyddwraig Albanaidd adnabyddus ar gyfer ffilmiau megis Morvern Callar a We Need to Talk About Kevin) a Sarah Gavron (cyfarwyddwraig Rocks sydd wedi ennill BAFTA yn ddiweddar), mae’n freuddwyd i gael y gefnogaeth hon ar gyfer fy ffilm nodwedd gyntaf. Diolch yn fawr i holl chwaraewyr y Loteri Genedlaethol!”
“Mae’r BFI wedi bod yn eithriadol o gefnogol ac ni fyddwn wedi gallu gwneud Censor heb eu cefnogaeth. Wedi gwylio gwneuthurwyr ffilmiau yr wyf yn eu hedmygu’n fawr yn dod i’r amlwg trwy’r BFI, megis Lynne Ramsay (y gyfarwyddwraig Albanaidd adnabyddus ar gyfer ffilmiau megis Morvern Callar a We Need to Talk About Kevin) a Sarah Gavron (cyfarwyddwraig Rocks sydd wedi ennill BAFTA yn ddiweddar), mae’n freuddwyd i gael y gefnogaeth hon ar gyfer fy ffilm nodwedd gyntaf. Diolch yn fawr i holl chwaraewyr y Loteri Genedlaethol!”
Dywedodd Ben Roberts, Prif Weithredwr o fewn BFI: “Diolch i haelioni chwaraewyr y Loteri Genedlaethol, rydym yn gallu cefnogi gwneuthurwyr ffilmiau beiddgar, addysg a hyfforddiant ffilmiau, y sinemâu sy’n golygu cymaint i gymunedau lleol, ac yn galluogi cynulleidfaoedd y DU i weld amrywiaeth eang o ffilmiau. Dros y flwyddyn ddiwethaf, mae cymaint ohonom wedi colli’r profiad cymunedol arbennig hwnnw o wylio ffilm ar y sgrîn fawr, felly pa ffordd well o ddweud “diolch i chi” nag ymweliad am ddim â’r sinema!”
Mae’r Loteri Genedlaethol wedi ariannu gwneud mwy na 600 o ffilmiau, gan gynnwys ffilmiau sydd wedi ennill gwobrau ac sydd wedi bod yn llwyddiannus yn fasnachol ar draws y blynyddoedd megis Bend it Like Beckham, The King’s Speech ac yn fwyaf diweddar, Rocks, a enwebwyd saith gwaith am wobrau BAFTA. Gyda’i gilydd, mae’r ffilmiau a ariannwyd wedi ennill 15 Oscars®, 109 o wobrau BAFTA a 29 gwobr yng Ngŵyl Ffilmiau mawreddog Cannes.
The National Lottery has funded the making of more than 600 films, including award-winning and commercial hits across the years such as Bend it Like Beckham, The King’s Speech and, more recently, seven-time BAFTA nominee Rocks. The funded films combined have won 15 Oscars®, 109 BAFTAs and 29 awards at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival.
O ganlyniad i’r arian a godwyd gan Y Loteri Genedlaethol ar gyfer achosion da, mae’r BFI yn buddsoddi dros £50 miliwn y flwyddyn i ddatblygu a chefnogi gwneuthurwyr ffilmiau a ffilmiau sy’n tarddu o’r DU, gan gyfoethogi’r diwylliant ffilmiau annibynnol gyda’u lleisiau gwreiddiol.
Mae Penwythnos Sinemâu’r Loteri Genedlaethol yn rhan o gyfoeth o weithgareddau ym mis Mehefin i ddiolch i chwaraewyr y Loteri Genedlaethol am gyfrannu dros £30 miliwn pob wythnos tuag at achosion da led led y DU.
Rhaid i chwaraewyr holl gemau’r Loteri Genedlaethol fod yn 18 mlwydd oed neu hŷn.
Participating cinemas in Wales:
∙ Maxime Y Coed Duon
∙ Odeon Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr
∙ Neuadd Gyhoeddus Brynaman
∙ Canolfan Gelfyddydol y Chapter
∙ Odeon Caerdydd
∙ Showcase Caerdydd Nantgarw
∙ Vue Caerdydd
∙ Vue Caerfyrddin
∙ Vue Cwmbran
∙ Odeon Llanelli
∙ Vue Merthyr
∙ Reel Port Talbot
∙ Scala Cinema, Prestatyn
∙ Vue Rhyl
∙ Odeon Swansea
∙ Vue Swansea
∙ Odeon Wrecsam Eagles Meadow
-ENDS
Tickets to Cheltenham International Film Festival 2021 (online) are now on sale via our streaming partner YourScreen. Once again, we are working with exhibitor partners to reach audiences across the UK using our Virtual Cinema model and hope that you will join us once more to share our programme with your audiences.
We will provide you with a discount code entitling your audience to 25% off tickets. This year we are also offering Festival Passes for any five films at an early bird price of only £25 up until midnight on 23 May.
For all sales made using your code we will pay you 30% of all revenue received. Existing YourScreen 25% codes will still be valid for individual ticket purchases. We also have a new affiliate scheme for selling passes which means all you need to do is share a link and revenue will automatically be tracked.
I gofrestru, anfonwch click here to register as a Virtual Screening Partner.
If you require any further information, please email: patrick@yourscreen.net
The full festival programme can be browsed at: https://cheltfilm.com/
About the Festival
Opening with a preview of the multi-Oscar winning film, The Father, and closing with a preview of an adaptation of Steven Berkoff’s comedy play Brighton, the festival presents 33 films from around the world, including 17 UK premieres and 11 previews. The official film festival competition to select BEST FILM, EMERGING DIRECTOR will be judged by a respected jury of film and media personalities chaired by Anna Smith, who, most recently, was Chair of the London Film Critics’ Circle.
This year we acknowledge the 50th anniversary of the release of Stephen Frears’ debut feature film Gumshoe. In an exclusive interview with Tim Robey of The Daily Telegraph, Stephen talks about Gumshoe and his long and prolific career as one of the UK’s most respected filmmakers. Other interviews during the festival include Aneil Karia, director of the exhilarating thriller Surge, the Cannes Camera D’Or winning director of Wet Season , Anthony Chen, Michael Bentham, director of topical Australian drama Disclosure and the Director of Brighton, Stephen Cookson along with cast members Larry Lamb a Marion Bailey. More Q&A events will be announced in the coming week.
This year, we have had more interest than ever in the festival programme with ticket sales already taking off and each film has a limited number of tickets. Therefore, we recommend you start promoting asap so that your audience doesn’t miss the opportunity to watch these wonderful films. Better yet, they can buy a pass for excellent value.
The full programme is now on sale at https://cheltfilm.com/ with tickets available at Early Bird prices until midnight on 23 May.
Mwy o wybodaeth Patrick Bliss, patrick@yourscreen.net
From May 17th, cinemas in Wales and across the UK are beginning to open their doors to audiences again. Reconnect with the best British and international films on the big screen.
Check back in for more updates as cinemas confirm their reopening dates in the coming weeks and months.
Climate emergency is the defining issue of our time. We can’t afford to look away. We’re working with cinemas and festivals Wales wide to develop our #PlanetaryPromise by ensuring that the projects we support, consider their impact on the environment.
We also recently released a biodiverse big screen programming pack, a free film resource available UK wide to raise awareness through environmental film programming.
We’re also considering the impact we make in our office. We’ve switched to recyclable tape, refillable bamboo pens, note books from Born Free Foundation and we refill our liquids in glass bottles. We’re committed to making a difference on a local and national level.
Since 2011, The National Lottery has invested more than £2.2bn in green projects and initiatives across heritage, art, community and sport. Everything from community groups preserving natural habitats to art installations educating young people on climate change.
Between the 19th and 23rd April, The National Lottery is inviting distributors, brosiectau, volunteers, fundraisers, athletes and players to make a #PlanetaryPromise on social media as part of a campaign promoting environmental good causes.
The #PlanetaryPromise is a chance for you to do your bit for the environment by making a conscious commitment to either start or stop something that could be helping or harming our planet.
To celebrate the National Lottery’s support for film, and to provide support for UK cinemas, National Lottery Cinema Weekend (NLCW) will be returning.
Looking forward to brighter times, BFI and Camelot are planning the next National Lottery Cinema Weekend (NLCW) for 19 and 20 June 2021, by which time it is hoped that as many venues as possible across the UK will be able to participate. Players of The National Lottery can claim a pair of free adult cinema tickets at participating venues, which are then reimbursed by Camelot up to the agreed maximum value.
To get involved click here to register.
The Independent Cinema Office in its capacity as Film Hub South East will be the co-ordinating body on behalf of the Film Audience Network and the central contact point for cinemas. They will be following up with registered venues in April with regular updates, and a press and marketing toolkit will be available in May.
Registration is open until the 31ain of May and the official microsite will go live with venue listings at the end of April.
For more information, please see the campaign summary a Cwestiynau Cyffredin.
Os oes gennych unrhyw gwestiynau, cysylltwch â: cinemaweekend@independentcinemaoffice.org.uk
Mae Picturing our Past / Fframio’n Gorffennol yn ap hynod sy’n cael ei lansio ar-lein ar 4 Mai 2021 mewn digwyddiad arbennig gyda’r cerddor Gwenno sy’n canu yn Gymraeg a Chernyweg, y gwneuthurwr ffilmiau ffeministaidd Michele Ryan ac un o gyflwynwyr S4C, a chyn-rocar, Aled Samuel. Bydd rhaghysbyseb (trailer) arbennig gyda throslais gan Cerys Matthews yn cael ei chwarae yn ystod y digwyddiad.
Mae’r ap yn crynhoi sawl carreg filltir o fewn hanes gwneud ffilmiau yng Nghymru – a ddisgrifiwyd unwaith gan yr hanesydd uchel ei barch, Dave Berry, fel “Yr etifeddiaeth ffrwythlon honno”. Mae Archif Sgrin a Sain Cymru Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru wedi chwarae rhan hollbwysig yn y gwaith o warchod ffilmiau a recordiadau sain o Gymru ac mae nawr yn cefnogi cynnyrch dwyieithog sy’n torri’n rhydd o ffiniau llyfr, gan greu cyfuniad unigryw o eiriau a delwedd symudol.
Mae’r cyfarwyddwr arobryn Colin Thomas a’r archifydd ffilm Iola Baines wedi dewis pump ar hugain o glipiau ffilm o orffennol ffilmig Cymru wedi’u cysylltu â thestun i adrodd stori sy’n mynnu ein sylw. Cafodd yr e-lyfr hwn ei lunio gan Thud Media yng Nghaerdydd gyda chefnogaeth Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru a Hwb Ffilm Cymru.
Dywedodd Pedr ap Llwyd, Prif Weithredwr a Llyfrgellydd y Llyfrgell Genedlaethol:
"Mae'r e-lyfr newydd yma yn ffordd gyffrous a blaengar o gyflwyno casgliadau clyweledol cyfoethog y Llyfrgell Genedlaethol, gan gynnig llwybr ffres a chyfoes i ddefnyddwyr o bob math fedru cyrraedd at y dreftadaeth apelgar hon. Edrychaf ymlaen yn fawr at ein lansiad arlein ar 4ydd o Fai, pryd bydd ein panel byrlymus yn siwr o godi awch am lawrlwytho'r 'ap' a'i gipolwg ffresh ar y sinema Gymreig."
Meddai Iola Baines, Curadur Delweddau Symudol, Archif Sgrin a Sain Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru:
“Bydd Fframio’n Gorffennol yn dangos bod ffilmiau a saethwyd yng Nghymru nid yn unig yn adlewyrchu hanes Cymru – gyda glowyr di-waith sy’n crafu ar domen lo yn Today We Live yn dod yn symbol o’r Dirwasgiad – ond eu bod hefyd yn effeithio ar hanes Cymru – er enghraifft fe wnaeth ffilm The Citadel gyfrannu at hyrwyddo’r momentwm tuag at greu Gwasanaeth Iechyd Gwladol.”
Ychwanegodd Colin Thomas:
“Tra’n anrhydeddu enghreifftiau nodedig o lwyddiannau byd y ffilm yng Nghymru, megis Hedd Wyn, bydd yr ap yn ceisio sicrhau nad yw campweithiau na chafodd gymaint o gydnabyddiaeth yn cael eu hanwybyddu – ffilmiau fel David ac Un Nos Ola Leuad. Ac er y bydd yr ap yn cydnabod poblogrwydd gwladgarol ffilmiau megis Zulu, bydd hefyd yn trafod ffilmiau sy’n portreadu Cymru o bersbectif mwy dadleuol – megis Twin Town a Human Traffic.”
Meddai Hana Lewis, Rheolwr Strategol Canolfan Ffilm Cymru:
“Gall gweld ein straeon ar y sgrin gael effaith enfawr ar sut rydym yn gweld ein hunain ac mae archifau sgrin yn chwarae rhan hanfodol yn hyn. Bydd Fframio’n Gorffennol yn cyfuno hanes â thechnoleg ddigidol, gan roi ffyrdd newydd cyffrous i gynulleidfaoedd ddarganfod ffilmiau o Gymru. Rydym yn falch iawn o gefnogi’r prosiect drwy ein hedefyn Made in Wales, sy’n hyrwyddo ffilmiau gyda chysylltiadau Cymreig drwy gydol y flwyddyn.”
A oes gan Gymru etifeddiaeth ffilm nodedig? Yn dilyn cyflwyniad ffilm byr, dyma’r cwestiwn a drafodir yn lansiad yr ap gan y gwneuthurwr ffilmiau ffeministaidd Michele Ryan, y darlledwr a’r cyn-ganwr pync roc Aled Samuel a’r cerddor a’r artist sain Gwenno
–ENDS–
Following months of development and an extensive recruitment campaign, the Torch Theatre’s Young Film Ambassadors scheme launched this Wednesday (25 March) with its first online session, as the Torch Theatre’s Alex Lloyd and James Gent welcomed aboard its first intake of new members at the start of what promises to be an unmissable opportunity for young people in Pembrokeshire who are interested in film and cinema to experience film in a fun and educational way.
The Torch Theatre Young Film Ambassadors is a new scheme for those aged 14-18 in Pembrokeshire that will give opportunities for young people to watch, discuss and review the latest independent, UK & International, and blockbuster films. The scheme will give the young ambassadors the opportunity to get their reviews seen, and, to find out more about cinema and filmmaking in focused workshop sessions for aspiring reviewers with special guest speakers.
For the first session, the new recruits were joined by Keiron Self, the film editor for Buzz Magazine, who is also an actor, script writer and filmmaker in his own right. Keiron led an engaging, wide-ranging discussion on film, film genres, making your opinion count as a viewer or critic, and his own experiences writing, performing, and developing scripts for film & TV.
Also present was Hywel Roberts of young people’s film network Into Film Cymru, whose Into Film Festival is the world’s largest free annual film festival, to share with the group just some of the opportunities available for young people to engage with great filmmaking and to develop a critical viewpoint so that they can learn and grow from those experiences.
Due to current COVID restrictions, the Young Film Ambassadors workshops and film screenings are taking place online. Conditions permitting, once the Torch Theatre is fully reopened and operating with a full cinema programme the Torch Theatre looks forward to welcoming its Ambassadors in person to take full advantage of the unique experience of enjoying films on the big screen.
Alex Lloyd, Senior Manager – Marketing, Press & Communications at the Torch Theatre said:
“It was brilliant to meet so many young people from across Pembrokeshire that share a common passion for film and cinema. This is the start of the journey for the Young Film Ambassadors scheme, we have a number of great workshops and films planned over the forthcoming months that will give a great insight into the film industry. There are certainly a few Marvel film fans here in Pembrokeshire, but we will be embracing the very best of independent and UK cinema as part of the ambassadors’ experience.”
The Torch Theatre’s Young Film Ambassadors scheme has been made possible by National Lottery funding distributed by Film Hub Wales, through the BFI FAN Film Exhibition Fund which was awarded to the Torch in the Autumn of 2020.
The project is a collaboration between Wicked Wales Ffilm and the International Youth Media Summit organisation based in Nepal. Wicked Wales Film runs the Wicked Wales International Youth Film Festival and IYMS brings together young filmmakers from all over the world to their annual summit meeting.
This year these two organisations have formed a partnership to run a pilot project to create 3 webisodes from each partner. The 10 minute webisodes will be a celebration of each country, promoting their diverse cultures & languages. The films will be screened at a number of international events and uploaded onto the websites of the two partners.
IYMS work on a global stage as partners with the United Nations UN, UNICEF and UNESCO so we are delighted to be a part of this collaboration. Many of their previous films look at the global issues facing future generations. Their current webisode series is available for viewing at https://sanatione.iyms.org
This project has been made possible with financial support from Wales Arts International a Wicked Wales Film funds.
LONDON – Wednesday 17 March 2021: The BFI and BAFTA today announce the next stage of ground breaking work to tackle bullying, harassment and racism in the workplace with a new employer Action List for the film and television industry, as The Film and TV Charity launches new services, providing immediate support for workers. The announcement comes as Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) guidance on harassment at work is expected to become a statutory code of practice in the coming months, and filming restrictions and remote working during the pandemic have created additional pressures.
The Action List is part of a wider industry mobilisation and call for employers to commit to following the latest advice to meet their legal and ethical responsibilities and signpost workers to available support. It includes a set of resources designed to assist employers to meet those responsibilities and is endorsed by producers such as Faye Ward and Hannah Farrell of Fable Pictures (the recently BAFTA-nominated Rocks, Stan & Ollie, Wild Rose and the forthcoming TV series Anne Boleyn).
Research commissioned by The Film and TV Charity, published in February 2020, which collected data on more than 9,000 workers, revealed that bullying remains highly prevalent – across all sub-sectors, 84% had experienced or witnessed bullying or harassment, with even higher figures in some sub-sectors. Those who had experienced bullying were twice as likely to want to leave the industry and highly likely to have had mental health problems. The charity’s new bullying support services have been developed in direct response to this need.
The State of Play survey on unscripted TV undertaken in the wake of the pandemic and published in January 2021 by Bectu, Bournemouth University and Viva La PD, found that over 93% of respondents have experienced bullying or harassment in the TV industry, with only 11% who reported incidents considering that the matter was satisfactorily resolved. The report suggests that the vulnerability of the workforce over the last year has spotlighted a whole range of systemic employment-related concerns, including the need to ensure that incidents can be reported without fear of reprisal, and that procedures are in place to address reports.
The new Action List is based on the Set of Principles and Guidance published in 2018 developed by the BFI in partnership with BAFTA and in consultation with organisations across the film, games and television
industries in response to urgent and systemic issues around bullying and harassment exposed so shockingly through cases such as the Harvey Weinstein allegations and subsequent conviction. In July 2020 the Principles and Guidance were updated with a specific commitment to anti-racism in recognition of widespread failings highlighted by the Black Lives Matter movement.
The Guidance outlines the law around bullying, harassment and racism, and also includes sexism, ableism, homophobia and other forms of discrimination. It sets out the responsibilities of employers, and provides advice for employees and freelancers. A supporting Dignity at Work Policy, developed in partnership with Bectu, provides a template for companies, productions and festivals to complement the Guidance and Principles to tackle workplace bullying and harassment.
The new Action List for film and television launched today, which joins one for the games industry already in place, outlines simple yet effective actions that all employers can take to prevent and tackle workplace bullying, harassment and racism and demonstrate their commitment to tackling the issue. The Action List makes further recommendations including taking the new ScreenSkills online training module on bullying and harassment, and ensuring all employees and freelancers are aware of the new suite of bullying support services launched today by The Film and TV Charity. The Action List can be downloaded yma.
The Film and TV Charity has today launched a suite of new services to provide more support for individuals who have experienced or witnessed bullying including: the Bullying Pathway Service, accessible via the charity’s existing free and confidential 24-hour Film and TV Support Line 0800 054 00 00, offering free, confidential and independent industry-specific legal, HR and mental health advice; and digital incident recording tool Spot, accessible via the charity’s website, which can be used by anyone to create a confidential private record of something they’ve experienced of witnessed. The new services have been created as part of the Whole Picture Programme, the pan-industry movement for better mental health. More information can be found at www.filmtvcharity.org.uk/bullying
The Principles and Guidance have now been endorsed by over 40 screen sector organisations with The Casting Directors’ Guild the most recent to formally endorse them. A number of below-the-line talent agents, including Sara Putt Associates, have committed to requiring employers to agree to adhere to the Guidance as part of their deal memos with talent, and producers such as Fable Pictures require workers to sign up to the Principles.
The BFI has hired Morgana Melvin as Production Inclusion Manager to work across the BFI Film Fund, Inclusion and Skills teams and other partners such as ScreenSkills, BBC Films, and Film4 to identify the challenges and coordinate strategies that can result in real change for employment opportunities for underrepresented groups in the production sector across the UK. By reaching out to producers, Head of Departments and the wider industry, Morgana will work with BFI teams on strategies that can support job progression and retention in the industry. This will include support for the prevention of bullying, harassment and racism on set.
As previously announced by BAFTA, entrants for the 2021 BAFTA Games Awards have been asked to provide information on their companies’ anti-bullying and harassment guidelines. This year, along with the adoption of the BFI Diversity Standards, is a pilot year for the BAFTA Games Awards and joins existing requirements for BAFTA’s Awards across Film and Television. BAFTA will be using the data collected to
enable them to see where support, guidance and training can be offered, if necessary. The move is part of a renewed commitment from BAFTA following the 2020 Review which marks the beginning of a significant cultural shift in BAFTA, challenging the industry to address the serious lack of opportunity and equality.
Jen Smith, Head of Inclusion at the BFI, said:
“We’re delighted that so many organisations across the screen industries have already adopted the Guidance and Principles, but we know from our conversations with industry that more structured support needs to be within every workplace to prevent and reduce instances of bullying, harassment and racism. The Guidance, Principles, Dignity at Work policy and the Action List are working documents that we will continue to refine, as well as building even more complementary resources.
“We have demonstrated our dexterity and adaptability as an industry in the face of a pandemic; as production begins to increase again, in the face of the visceral inequality that the pandemic has laid bare, the BFI and BAFTA want to share these resources widely as we believe they can immediately improve that lived experience for our workers and act as a very useful point of reference for employers.”
Tim Hunter, Director of Learning, Policy and Inclusion at BAFTA, said: “The nature of our industries can make it more challenging to put in place policies and procedures which might be more achievable in other sectors. The Action List and accompanying training and resources suggest solutions for the kinds of workplaces common in the industries which we will continue to improve in the coming years. It’s so important that so many industry bodies are coming together with a united strategy to tackle this issue supporting both employers via the Action List, and workers via the fantastic services offered by The Film and TV Charity. Our shared aim is to create workplace cultures where everyone can contribute to the best of their abilities.”
Caroline Waters, Deputy Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said: “We’re pleased to see the BFI and BAFTA taking clear action to ensure that bullying and harassment and racism issues across UK screen industries are dealt with. The Action list will help to minimise the possibility of incidents and ensure legal compliance which will protect both employers and workers.”
Dame Heather Rabbatts, Chair of TIME’S UP UK, said: “It was just over three years ago when TIME’S UP UK, in collaboration with BFI and BAFTA, launched the Bullying, Harassment and Racism Principles and Guidance for industry calling out unacceptable behaviour. Three years on, whilst awareness has been heightened, we need these resources more than ever and so we welcome the Action List released today to bolster our armoury to help eradicate these toxic practices. At TIME’S UP UK we are soon to release a series of safety guides for people working in the entertainment industry, free resources to empower arts and entertainment workers with information about their rights, industry-specific norms, and practical ways they can advocate for themselves and their safety and help people understand that no matter your situation, you have options.”
Lucy Tallon, Head of Mental Health and Wellbeing at The Film and TV Charity, said:
“The Film and TV Charity is pleased to be part of this pioneering pan-industry commitment to end bullying and harassment. Our research identified bullying as one of the leading causes of poor mental health in our industry. The personal testimonies we heard and continued to hear are shocking. We must do better as an industry.
The Film and TV Charity is launching a suite of services to help those experiencing or witnessing bullying navigate their options. Individuals can come to us for self-help resources, for professional advice, and for access to a safe digital space to record experiences in private. These services are part of our strategy to make sure everyone working in film and TV has better support and better mental health.”
Adeel Amini, Chair of the pan-industry Coalition for Change, and Founder of the TV Mindset, said: “The Coalition for Change is focused on raising awareness of the urgent need to improve working conditions for everyone in our industry and we continue to push for widespread cultural change. Bullying, harassment, racism, ableism and other forms of discrimination have no place in what should be a supportive, creative environment, so we’re happy to be supporting the BFI and BAFTA as they step forward with practical advice on how to combat a pernicious culture, and to have been involved in creating new services to support workers with The Film and TV Charity.”
Philippa Childs, Head of Bectu, said: “Bectu has worked with BFI and BAFTA over many years to develop practical solutions to tackle bullying and harassment in the workplace. The guidance being re-issued today includes a simple template policy to help employers deliver on their legal responsibilities to all workers on-set.
“We want to see employers deliver more for their workers than the legal bare minimum, which is why we are pleased that the guidance also includes Bectu’s recommendation that all productions have a designated individual who can take reports of bullying and harassment. We will be working with BFI, BAFTA and ScreenSkills to draw up a template of responsibilities for this role.
“The industry quickly came together to agree Covid supervisor roles last year, and we hope to be met with a similar can-do attitude to tackling bullying and harassment.”
Seetha Kumar, CEO, ScreenSkills, said: “It is so positive that the industry has come together to create a better, fairer working environment by addressing unacceptable behaviours that have no place in it. We at ScreenSkills already provide a range of training, e-learning and resources – including some supported by the BFI with National Lottery funds – to help the industry identify and tackle bullying and harassment and racism so companies and productions as well as individual freelancers can play their part in creating safe and welcoming workplaces for everyone.”
Victor Jenkins, Chair of the Casting Director’s Guild, said: “The Casting Directors’ Guild wholeheartedly supports these principles and actively promotes equality, diversity and inclusion within our own practices and the work of our members. Through a shared commitment across the industry, we can ensure there is no place for bullying and harassment.”
Andy Harrower, CEO of Directors UK, said: “It is vital that as an industry we create an urgent and meaningful response to the systemic issues of bullying, harassment and racism. Ensuring everyone is treated fairly, professionally and with respect should be the first priority of every production. This additional tool to support the industry principles and guidance makes the advice accessible to all productions and empowers them to take action regardless of their size or budget. We are pleased to support this work today and will continue to work with our colleagues to prevent unacceptable behaviour in the workplace.”
Faye Ward and Hannah Farrell, Creative Directors of Fable Pictures, said: “Fable Pictures strive to offer an inclusive environment on all our productions where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. The Principles against bullying, harassment and racism have really helped us set the tone on set and create a welcoming and inclusive working environment. This new Action List has made it even easier for us to understand what steps we can take to prevent and deal with unacceptable behaviour and support all our employees.”
Sara Putt of Sara Putt Associates, said: “Sara Putt Associates are proud and excited to support this work. We, as many other talent agents, include adherence to the BFI/BAFTA Principles and Guidance for the prevention of Bullying, and Harassment and Racism in our deal memos, and this clear and comprehensive Action List offers great practical guidance enabling all productions to create a safe workplace for everyone. Through my role as a BAFTA Trustee I have witnessed at first hand the huge amount of hard work put in by the BFI and BAFTA to create the original guidance and principles and now to have honed the information into an effective practical toolkit for all of the industry to use. As we strive to create a better environment for everyone who works in film and TV the importance of this Action List and the associated resources cannot be underestimated.”
Jo Twist, CEO of Ukie, said: “The games industry has worked closely with our colleagues in film and television, through BAFTA and the BFI, to ensure that there is a clear and coherent set of principles and guidance across the screen industries. The industry’s Action List for employers in games, which launched in July 2020, has drawn on that best practice to help games studios of all sizes to help create, foster and maintain healthy work environments for their employees and freelance workers.”
Rungano Nyoni is a self-taught Writer / Director. She was born in Lusaka, Zambia and grew up in Wales, UK.
Rungano’s first short film THE LIST won a BAFTA Cymru, her subsequent short film MWANSA THE GREAT was selected for over 100 International Film Festival and was nominated for a BAFTA in 2012. In 2013 Rungano wrote Z1 which subsequently won Best Short at The British Independent Film Awards. Her short LISTEN has been nominated for a European Film Award 2015 and won the Best Short Narrative Prize at Tribeca Film Festival.
Rungano’s debut feature was I AM NOT A WITCH. It follows the story of an 8 year old girl who is exiled to a Witch Camp. The film premiered in Cannes and was nominated for numerous international awards. In 2018 Rungano won the BAFTA for outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producer. She also won best director and best debut director at the 2017 British Independent Film Awards.
When was the first time you realised you wanted to make films?
I can’t pinpoint the first time it was a bit more organic than that. I made my way through acting, producing and other jobs in film and landed on directing and writing.
What was the last project you worked on / made?
A short film during lockdown called ‘Couple Break Up While In Lockdown Lol’.
What are you up to now? What is the next project you’re working on?
I am busy writing and working on several projects and hoping I get to make them soon. I was due to shoot my next film in Zambia but obviously due to Covid thats had to be postponed until next year.
Born in Spain and based in Wales, Maria Morancho gained a scholarship to study theatre at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama and started directing theatre then under the wing of The Magdalena Project. She later worked with the former Ty Ffilm collective making short films, as well as being tutored by the ‘Red Flannel’. Her first short film ‘Thief Of Sounds’ was a runner up at the DM Davies awards, and her subsequent work has since won awards at short film festivals around the world. This year she was selected for the BFI NetWork and BAFTA Crew 2021 and is developing her first feature based on her critically acclaimed winning short ‘Mercy’.
When was the first time you realised you wanted to make films?
I was very young, 7 yrs old, when I saw ‘The Red Shoes’ dir Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, it scarred me and fascinated me. I loved the mix of media, theatre, film, dance… It planted a dream, a dare, I too wanted to wear the red shoes, I thought, but I wanted to be able to do so and live. I was an avid reader and with each story I started to imagine films in my mind.
What was the last project you worked on / made?
My latest short film was ‘Mercy’ a story of trauma and solitude of a girl trying to make sense of her baby brother dying and being adopted. It was last shown as official selection at Fes-map festival of Arts and Mental health in the Pyrenees 2018.
What are you up to now? // What is the next project you’re working on?
While in development with my first feature film, a version of ‘Mercy’. I am in post-production with my last short ‘Magic Moment’ shot in Spain and Wales last year… despite covid… about a girl trying to restore her world with a hammer and a few nails but ended up discovering the magic of words, letting go and setting them free.
