Journey across Wales and beyond this year with local and global stories coming to cinemas, all of which have Welsh connections from locations, to cast and behind the scenes talent. Releasing in spring, Powys-born Joshua Trigg’s debut feature Satu – Year of the Rabbit will transport audiences to Laos as they follow two children on a stunning coming-of-age quest to find their families, friendship and the beauty of everyday life. Set to premiere at Sundance Film Festival 2025 is ie ie Productions’ newest feature film Brides, in which two teenage girls search for freedom, friendship, and belonging when they run away from their lives in the UK with a dangerous plan of travelling to Syria.
Producer Alice Lusher explains how Brides was filmed in Wales as part of an international collaboration:
“It was an absolute privilege for us at ie ie productions to work alongside producers Nicky Bentham (Neon Films – UK) and Marica Stocchi (Rosamont – Italy) on Director Nadia Fall and Writer Suhayla El-Bushra’s debut feature BRIDES. A truly international collaboration exploring universal themes of identity and belonging – filmed in Wales, Turkey and Sicily. Production supported local crews and businesses in each country, and it’s been a real pleasure to see their incredible work and talent shine through this beautiful and important film. We can’t wait to share it with the world.”
Thrill seeking viewers are in luck as a string of action-packed, psychological dramas and horror films are also set to release. The eagerly awaited Havoc from Welsh director of The Raid Gareth Evans, which was filmed in Cardiff sees Tom Hardy and Forest Whitaker fight their way through a criminal underworld, unravelling corruption and conspiracy along the way. Following this is the mysterious The Man in My Basement starring Willem Dafoe, which is based on Walter Mosley’s novel of the same name. It was filmed in Carmarthenshire, with Welsh producer John Giwa-Amu attached. There are also high hopes for The Scurry, from Welsh director Craig Roberts and Cliff Edge Pictures, which follows the surreal story of two pest controllers who encounter an avalanche of deranged squirrels, wreaking revenge and mayhem on the staff and visitors at an eco-country park.
There are also plenty of films brimming with Welsh heritage. Film Hub Wales is partnering with the National Library of Wales Screen and Sound Archive to re-release a new scan of the 2002 BAFTA-winner Oed yr Addewid. This poignant look at political disillusionment, social care and aging is all the more relevant 25 years after its initial release. A ninety-minute shorts package will also be available from the Archive’s year-long Cymru Anabl (‘Disabled Wales’) project which focused on improving the accessibility of their film and video collections, as well as improving the representation of disabled and Deaf filmmakers in them.
For biography fans, the stories of two iconic Welsh figures hit screens in 2025. Mad as Birds’ new feature film Madfabulous depicts the life of the eccentric Henry Cyril Paget, the 5th Marquess of Anglesey and stars Welsh actor Callum Scott Howells (It’s A Sin) alongside Rupert Everett and Siobhán McSweeney. From Welsh production company Severn Screen, and director Marc Evans, Mr Burton follows the origin story of actor Richard Burton, and stars Welsh talent Aneurin Barnard and Aimee-Ffion Edwards, alongside Toby Jones and Lesley Manville. This is just a snapshot of the films set for release in 2025, with many more to come.
Toki Allison, Made in Wales Project Manager explains how Film Hub Wales’ Made in Wales project supports releases such as these:
“Made in Wales aims to fill a gap in the film ecosystem, by creating a bridge between filmmakers and distributors, exploring how that film reaches audiences. Working with Welsh cinemas and festivals, we aim to raise awareness of films with Welsh connections, ensuring that audiences get a chance to see these stories as part of a shared experience in a cinema setting. There’s some special storytelling going on in and around Wales and a unique perspective that deserves to be seen and invested in. Wales is many things and we’re intent on expanding that narrative.”
Joedi Langley, Interim Head of Creative Wales, added:
“It’s an exciting year for film, with many anticipated titles on the way. Creative Wales is proud to have supported several of these productions, both independently and via the Ffilm Cymru Wales Feature Fund – which in itself has contributed to several recent releases like ‘Chuck Chuck Baby’, ‘The Almond and the Seahorse’ and ‘Timestalker’. The Made in Wales project shines a spotlight on the breadth of filmmaking talent we have here in Wales and gives new features an important platform by raising their profile among audiences and celebrates each one’s Welsh connections and is a project we’re very proud to support. Here’s to a successful year in film for Wales in 2025.”
