2019 Welsh Film Festival - ByTowne Cinema, Ottawa, March 5/12/19/26, 2019 The ByTowne March 5*……………… March 12*……………………… March 19*…………… March 26*

Cinema, in a

collaboration with the Ottawa Welsh Society, presents what is believed to Y Streic a Fi (“The Strike and Me”) Director: Ashley Way be Canada’s first Screen Writer: Gwyneth Lewis Under Milk Wood Based on a novel The Gritties by Philippa Davies. ever Welsh Film Stars: Catherine Ayers, Ioan Hefin, Siwan Morris Director: Kevin Allen Screenplay: Murray Lachlan Young, Michael The film portrays a turbulent time in Welsh history– Breen Festival! –the miners’ strike of 1984/85. Carys (Ella Peel) is Book: Dylan Thomas the main character and we follow the strike through Y Syrcas (“The Circus”) her experiences and family life. She is a lively 17- A new cinematic adaptation of legendary Welsh The four carefully- year-old who can’t wait to embrace the world out- Director: Kevin Allen poet Dylan Thomas’ classic radio play. This radi- Writer: Helen Griffin cally surreal and erotic film reunites director Kev- Director: Paul Turner side the confines of her valley. Her father Dai is a selected films show Shot in : Ceredigion in Allen with over 15 years after the Writer: Alan Llwyd miner, and a fervent union member who believes Stars: Damola Adelaja, Saran release of their cult classic . An en- Stars: Huw Garmon, Judith Hum- wholeheartedly that the miners will win the strike. Morgan, Aneirin Hughes, Llyr Ifans semble cast of familiar Welsh faces is led by -case Welsh film phreys, Catrin Fychan, His brother, Deiniol senses that this strike will Ifans as First Voice and Captain Cat, alongside change the industry forever. When a Victorian travelling circus Charlotte Church as Polly Garter. creativity, reflecting A young poet (Huw Garmon) living in “The strike is one of the most important political visits Tregaron in Ceredigion, they the North Wales countryside com- events to have taken place in South Wales in the offer much more than entertain- Allen’s film comes across as a kind of fast- petes under his bardic name of Hedd last decades. “It has left its mark on us all, even if the language, cul- ment for Sara (Saran Morgan) a moving fever-dream – appropriately enough, Wyn for the Chair, the most coveted we don’t live in the old mining communities. It was young girl who is trapped by her given the swelling tide of fantasy that Thomas prize of all in the National , a traumatic experience, a traumatic peri- ture and history of grieving father’s strict rules and instils in the drama: everyone, and everything, is but before the winner is announced he od.’”Gwyneth Lewis, screenwriter religion in a village steeped in operating through a sweaty film of lust or delu- is sent to fight in the trenches of the (97 min. Wales 2013. In Welsh with English subti- superstition. sion. Wales. First World War. tles. Rated PG) Director Kevin Allen (Twin Town) Allen notes of his visceral and visual interpreta- The wonderful cinematography that tells this heart-warming and often tion “I was determined to craft a cinematic rendi- starkly contrasts the beauty of his funny tale about the town’s rela- tion that challenged the common perception; that home in Gwynedd with the horrors of *Show times will be an- tionship with the troupe and Jwm- poetry should remain in the domain of the read- Passchendaele demonstrates the bi, an elephant., who died and was er.” nounced in the March/April futility of war in this, the first film from reputedly laid to rest behind the “Kevin Allen's bold new adaptation shows tre- Wales to be nominated as Best For- town’s Talbot Hotel in 1848. mendous visual imagination in places and has issue of the ByTowne eign Language film at the American (92 min. Wales 2013 In Welsh with plenty of ghoulishness, scabrous humour and Academy Awards. Guide, available February English subtitles. rated PG) eroticism along the way, too." - The Independent (110 min. Wales 1992. in Welsh with (87 min. Wales 2015 in English Rated 15) 22nd. English subtitles Rated 14A)