Sinema Cymru, a collaboration between S4C, Ffilm Cymru Wales and the Welsh Government via Creative Wales, has announced the recipients of its second round of funding, a scheme aimed at developing several Welsh-language feature film concepts with a view to progressing at least one into production funding.
The fund makes up to £30,000 available for individual projects with the potential to be ready for production within 12 months of the start of the development period, with smaller awards of up to £10,000 available for earlier stage projects.
Six projects have been successful for feature development in this second round:
MOGI – by writer/director Mared Swain, produced by Jessica Gardner at Divergence Pictures: Suffocating with grief and the weight of new motherhood, Meg begins consuming her late mother’s artwork to feel connected to her, but the coping mechanism fractures her sense of reality, drawing her into a hallucinatory battle for her baby, her identity, and her sanity.
AWEN – by writer Teleri Hughes: In 1980s Wrexham, two fiercely talented sisters escape their declining mining town for the international stage, but is global success worth what they’re trying to leave behind?
LLYFR GLAS NEBO – by writer Manon Steffan Ros, produced by Hannah Thomas at Severn Screen: An adaption of Manon Steffan Ros’ book with the same title, Llyfr Glas Nebo is a tender post-apocalyptic story about a mother and son who build a new life for themselves based on language, memory and hope in rural Wales after the collapse of modern civilisation.
CWLWM – by writer/director Tom Chetwode-Barton, produced by Adam Knopf at Riot Time Pictures: Grief, betrayal and resistance collide when Iwan discovers his mother tongue is being harvested by the very technology that was meant to save his community.
WHALE FALL – by writer Hannah Daniel, director Marc Evans, produced by Ffion Williams and Adam Partridge at Fiction Factory (a co-production with Samson Films, Ireland): An adaptation of Elizabeth O’Connor’s evocative debut novel, Whale Fall is a coming-of-age story about belonging and betrayal, set on a remote Welsh island in 1938 against the backdrop of a world on the edge of change.
DAFFODIL – by writer/director Yassa Khan, produced by Nora Ostler Spiteri at Triongl: Daffodil is a raw and lyrical coming-of-age film from writer-director Yassa Khan. Set in Caernarfon during the late 80s and 90s, it charts a young boy’s fight for identity and self-worth while growing up in the shadow of his father – a notorious bank robber. Tender, tense and deeply human, the film captures the moment when a child begins to understand who he might become — and who he refuses to be.
Sinema Cymru aims to put Welsh language film on the map by fast-tracking independent, bold and unconventional films which have the potential to gain international cinema release. The programme provides not just funding, but also career development support for creative teams, offering bespoke development plans alongside project funding.
In this round, applications were encouraged from projects at an earlier stage in the development process, recognising the importance of cinematic talent development in the Welsh language.
Minister for Culture, Jack Sargeant, said:
“These six exceptional projects demonstrate the depth of creative talent we have here in Wales. From powerful stories of identity and belonging to bold explorations of grief and resilience, each film showcases the strength and vitality of Welsh language storytelling.
“I am proud that through Sinema Cymru we are supporting filmmakers to bring these distinctive Welsh voices to cinema screens around the world.”
The success of this second-round builds on the inaugural funding, which saw four projects selected for feature development in 2024/5: Gorllewin Gwyllt, Pijin, Lluest and Estron.
Head of Film and Drama for S4C, Gwenllian Gravelle, said:
“Announcing the recipients in the second round of this scheme is a real moment of pride; it’s proof of the strength of our filmmakers, and the power of Welsh language stories for audiences everywhere.”
Development and Production Executive at Ffilm Cymru Wales, Gwenfair Hawkins, said:
“We are delighted to work again through Sinema Cymru with exceptional homegrown talent on these six new exciting film projects. They all speak to the specificity and beauty of our language and culture, through exploring stories that have global appeal and resonance.”
