Organisation: Abergavenny Film Society
Abergavenny Film Society is a community cinema run by volunteers, for members and non-members. With two screenings of UK independent and international films with subtitles. Fortnightly, between September 2023 to March 2024.
Organisation: Cardiff Animation Festival
Cardiff Animation Festival will bring a wide range of exciting, animated feature films, short film screenings, exclusive Q+As with industry professionals and informal social learning activities to diverse audiences in Cardiff, as well as a touring programme of Welsh Work to independent venues across the country. Building deeper relationships with communities, the programme aims will work with neurodiverse animators, curators and audiences (Different Voices), asylum seekers and refugees (Oasis Cardiff) and rural communities in Wales (CAF on Tour).
Organisation: CellB
CellB aims to provide a modern cinematic experience and a hub for entertainment, with a modern city vibe for the community. In their mission to bring world and independent films to Blaenau audiences, their programme this year includes Youth PicZ screenings for ages 11-17, family film club, pensioners forum and training for their young Clwb Clinc creatives.
Organisation: Theatr Gwaun
As part of Theatr Gwaun’s year round programme of UK independent, international and mainstream film and documentaries are two new threads. They’re getting ‘granular’ with audience data and pro-actively building relationships with their local community, learning more about their needs in terms of cinema, from budget to experience of the venue. They have a specific focus on older age groups, young people aged 25 and under and Welsh speakers.
Organisation: Hay Castle Trust
Writing with Light present a weekend of words and film, transforming Hay Castle into an open-air cinema for the first time. Outdoor cinema, immersive projections, archive shorts and guest speakers will celebrate the art of translating text into moving images, inspiring all ages to read more, watch more, and make films.
Organisation: Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival
The Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival will screen a selection of animated films at Chapter Cardiff, Aberystwyth Arts Center and Pontio Bangor, partnering with the Japan Foundation London to also offer online events. They will also host an inclusive Manga Comic Café (free Japanese comic reading area) to promote Japanese culture, sustainability and literacy, alongside the festival.
Organisation: The Magic Lantern
‘Film Alive in Tywyn’ at the Magic Lantern will enable the audience in and around Tywyn to experience top quality British independent (including Welsh) films and international films alongside the big blockbusters. Magic Lantern want their diverse and inclusive film selection to really buzz, to punch above its rurally isolated weight, to reflect the lives of all those living in the community, whilst also offering a window to the world and other people’s lives. The programme includes films for families and under 25s, music and film events and Environmental themed screenings in partnership with ‘Greener Tywyn’.
Organisation: Wales One World Film Festival (WOW)
WOW will run Ecosinema – a programme of 6 world cinema features and 3 shorts packages, along with the festival itself in March 2024 where 18 features (both documentary & fiction) will screen in five cinemas around Wales with added value events.
Ecosinema, leading with the theme ‘Another World Is Possible’ will offer a festival showcase of the very best of world cinema. The programme will include fiction and documentary features, short films – including a package of films from Colombia created for the ‘Creating Safer Space’ programme, Climate Stories (two short films from Bangladesh produced by WOW) plus Q&As, panel discussions and an event in partnership with the Land Workers Alliance.
WOW24 will showcase 18 films of the very best of world cinema, principally award winners at other festivals. 45 screenings will take place across cinemas in Aberystwyth, Bangor, Cardigan, Fishguard and Swansea with Q&As and panel discussions. Major events in Aberystwyth will be AberCon, WOW’s anime convention organised in partnership with Mencap Ceredigion and a ‘Creating Safer Space’ event & panel discussion with visiting speakers organised in partnership with the International Politics department.
Organisation: Wyeside Arts Centre
Wyeside Arts Centre will offer a diverse and inclusive programme of British, independent and Welsh Language film in 2023. The programme will include foreign and Welsh language films, documentaries and films by creatives from minoritised communities. Subtitled screenings are offered every Thursday, along with relaxed screenings for children with autism, a ‘Tea and Biscuits Matinee’ every month for OAPs, plus a new programme of Mother and Baby relaxed screenings.
Organisation: Iris Prize
The Best of Iris takes a selection of LGBTQ+ short films made in the past 18 months and make them available to cinemas across the UK for free, with classification from the BBFC. Iris Prize aim to increase audiences for LGBTQ+ stories, building a sustainable relationship with cinemas.
Organisation: Abertoir Horror Festival
Abertoir, Wales’ International Horror Festival, is a popular and vibrant genre festival across six days. It celebrates its 18th edition in 2023. With audiences hailing from the UK and beyond, the programme includes an offsite screening, live piano accompaniment, over 30 films, shorts, talks, filmmaker Q&As, special events and opportunities for audiences to engage with key talent from the film industry. Additionally, there will be an accessible, shorter virtual form of the festival taking place simultaneously. Abertoir’s core goals are to create a diverse, accessible, educational and enjoyable festival with a strong sense of community, encouraging a deep appreciation and understanding of genre film. Their new mentoring programme also opens up opportunities for young people to work towards becoming the next generation of festival programmers and organisers.
Organisation: Phantasmagoria Horror Film Festival
Phantasmagoria Horror Film Festival is held over 2 days at Ty Pawb, Wrexham, showing various local and international films, with Q&As, short films, trade stalls and a pub quiz.
They also established monthly community cinema screening in the rural village of Cefn Mawr in Wrexham. Independent short films were followed by a classic feature film.
Organisation: Dragon Theatre
The Dragon’s Film 4 All programme will show British films for all ages. The Saturday Film club for their younger audience will bring the best of British Animation to local families. Adventure and coming of age films will be programmed for young audiences aged 16-30, with romance and drama for the older audience – served with lunch and afternoon tea.
Organisation: Wicked Wales
Wicked Wales are taking film out to their communities, setting up pop up Cine Bach events around Rhyl where audiences shop and relax in Rhyl. By transforming areas around their festival venue, Rhyl Town Hall into a film quarter – people will be able to watch films, get involved in film activities and have fun with the mobile, solar powered, Sol cinema.
Organisation: Neuadd Dwyfor
A festival celebrating Sci-Fi and Fantasy through several genres including film, literature and art. The festival is in its second year. Events at this year’s festival will be spread over a period of four weeks and include an array of events focusing on all things science, fantasy and exploring worlds beyond our own.
Organisation: Off Y Grid (Administered by Galeri Caernarfon)
Running since 2016, Off Y Grid (OYG) is an established network of 6 venues, which aims to improve access to independent film across North Wales communities. Each venue is different in terms of its space and demographic but Welsh culture, heritage and access are at the core of OYG’s objectives. In 2023 the network will explore joint programming initiatives, networking and vision for the future.
Organisation: Merthyr Leisure Trust
Merthyr Leisure Trust aim to develop a bilingual programme of cinema screenings at Redhouse Cymru, focussing on British Independent films, British actors, film makers and screen writers. Showing topical films with added discussions, they hope to inspire young audiences and a offer a safe creative space where people can meet talent and learn about film.
Organisation: Memo Arts Centre, Barry
The Memo Arts Centre and Arts Active collaborated on an immersive cinema event that connected a suite of new music played on the Javanese Gamelan, specially created to
accompany the 1927 silent thriller film – The Lodger. The project wove together the silent film tradition, live musical accompaniment and interactive
workshops that echoed the Indonesian tradition for epic shadow puppet performances Wayang
Kulit, of which Gamelan music is an integral part.
