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MADDINGCROWD
MADDINGCROWD
BAFTA CYMRU
BAFTA SCOTLAND
Soon after being honoured with the BAFTA Cymru Special Award, chef de mon- tage Chris Lawrence held an editing masterclass on May 21 (in partnership with CYFLE/MSW, Kodak and Barcud Derwen). The day was rounded off with a session on direction given by Rhys Powys and a barbie, where students from CYFLE and Media Skills Wales had a chance to meet members and learn about the business.
On June 8, there was a screen- ing in collaboration with Ffilmiau Nant at Clwb Ifor Bach of the short feature Cant y Cant/100%, written by Ian Staples and directed by David Evans. The story follows Marc (played by newcomer Rupert Morgan) as he sells his drugs to the great and good of New Wales and Cool Cymru. Working, largely with a non-professional cast in and around the streets of Cardiff, Cant y Cant looks and feels like a total look at the seamier side of boom town Cardiff. Set to a hip hop track by Tystion, the film hits the festival circuit this autumn in a slimmed down version in Welsh and English.
Appropriately close to the sol- stice on June 18 there was a pre- release membership/cast & crew screening of Relative Values by Welsh director Eric Styles in con- junction with Midsummer Films. For all its tales of the mores of the English upper classes the film depends on Welsh talent in its obvi-
ous and obscure places. Key crew include assistant director Jon Williams, sound recordist Phil Edward, hair & make-up designer Julie Van Praag and DP Jimmy Dibling. This roundly witty film, based on a play by Noel Coward, was also edited in Cardiff by Caroline Limmer. Three Welsh actors also have supporting roles (Kathryn Dimery, Richard Nichols, Lynne Seymour) and Anwen Carlisle shines as Alice, a scene- stealing maid.
As part of the celebration for the reopening of the Aberystwyth Arts Centre on June 24, BAFTA Cymru arranged a special pre- release showing of Undertaker’s Paradise in collaboration with Kodak and the Mid Wales Film Commission. Starring Thomas Schmauser, Ben Gazzara, Emma Catherwood, Francis Magee, Craig Kelly (Queer as Folk), Michael Fitzgerald, Sue Dexter and Sue Jones Davies among others, this black comedy was shot and produced in Aberystwyth and the surrounding area by leading German filmmakers Jakob Claussen and Thomas Wöbke some two years ago.
A follow-up screening was held in Cardiff for South Wales members on the July 19.
Meanwhile, the second edition of BAFTA Cymru’s new quarterly TX appeared in full colour covering a wider range of topics and opinions. The principles behind this publica-
tion remain the same: firstly to inform the membership and the Welsh public about its activities and values as an organisation. Secondly, to offer a neutral space for the expression of opinion and the exchange of news and informa- tion of importance to the Welsh media industry, from whatever source is judged appropriate.
The BAFTA Cymru AGM was held on the June 28 in Cardiff to welcome seven new members to the Committee. Cynog Dafis AM and Ceri Sherlock the “Culture Tsar” kicked off proceedings with an overview of National Assembly policy developments which will impact on the cultural industries. Sadly it was also time to bid farewell to those Committee mem- bers from the previous year after years of selfless work on behalf of BAFTA: Sue Roderick (Vice Chair), Mary Simmonds (Vice Chair), Paul Turner, Margaret Calvert, Gwyneth Denver Davies and Rhiannon Murphy. We wish them the very best in the future. ■
www.bafta-cymru.org.uk
The WOW event in Liverpool also featured an exciting first time collaboration between BAFTA Scotland and BAFTA North with a Celtic Shorts event which involved three films from Northern Ireland and three from north of the border.
Station, written by Helen Cooper, My Daughter’s Face, written by John Maley, and Caesar, written by David MacKay, were all produced in Scotland and provided the pro- gramme with a trio of powerful and very different stories.
Apart from being an excellent event the writers were truly delighted to have an opportunity to meet and talk.
Writing is an isolated profes- sion and, as most of them were rel- atively new to the craft of screen- writing, they were particularly relieved to discover that they had so much in common.
This year we combine with FilmFour - major Festival sponsors - to offer the quirkily titled Sick Boy’s Guide To Smart Media pre- sented by Channel Four’s witty and talented Head of Nations & Regions, Stuart Cosgrove.
Stuart will be in his element as he delivers a cutting edge guide to film and television in the age of new media. The date for this unmissable event is August 24 - but check your Festival pro- gramme for further details and for all the other brilliant events and screenings on offer in Scotland’ s beautiful Festival city.
The call for entries for the BAFTA Scotland New Talent Awards 2000 has now gone out and we are already inundated with enquiries.
The date for this major event in the BAFTA Scotland calendar has been set for November 26 in Glasgow. The deadline for entries is September 25 and full details can be obtained by con- tacting Emma Henderson at BAFTAScotland. ■
Telephone 0141 302 1770 or e-mail:
Since WOW is likely to take
place again next year, BAFTA
Scotland will certainly hope to par-
ticipate. Our thanks to BAFTA
North’s Maureen Sinclair for her
very hard work in bringing us all
together. info@baftascotland.co.uk.
Photos opposite page from left: At the Gala Evening of Going Off Big Time - guests included stars of the TV Series Cops John Henshaw (second from left) and Jack Marsden (centre); the film’s Director Jim Doyle with Lynn Saunders, Head of the Liverpool Film Office; Paul Byatt, Brookside actor, with Suzanne Collins and his sister; Writer of feature and main actor Neil Fitzmaurice with Stan Bordman At the BAFTA North/Kodak Short Film Competition - Better Or Worse actress Anna Farrar collecting the Award on behalf of the film’s writer and director Jocelyn Cammack from Jimmy McGovern
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Photos this page from left: At the screening of Gumshoe, back row (L-R): Director Stephen Frears, writers Neville Smith and Frank Cottrell Boyce with Roger Shannon, Head of Production Film Council Front row (L-R): Maureen Sinclair, Director BAFTA North, Producer Norma Heyman and Cinema Manager Janet Dunn; BAFTA Cymru Special Award chef de montage winner Chris Lawrence’s Editing Masterclass The short feature Cant y Cant/100% written by Ian Staples and directed by David Evans
Undertaker’s Paradise was specially screened to celebrate the re-opening of the Aberystwyth Arts Centre.
The 54th Edinburgh International Film Festival - the longest continuously running film festival in the world - begins on August 13. Once again, BAFTA Scotland will be hosting a special event.
FOR REGIONAL BAFTA MEMBERSHIP DETAILS Please call BAFTA on 020 7734 0022