Launch of new film fest set for Autumn
The Vale of Glamorgan Council’s rural regeneration initiative is set to launch a brand new film festival in September 2019.
Hidden Here celebrates the concentration of creative talent throughout the Vale. It aims to animate some of the Vale’s unique venues such as St Donats Castle, Cosmeston Medieval Village and DRESD Studios in St Athan with a variety of immersive events.
Festival goers can take part in discussions and masterclasses on green screen, make up, prosthetics, set and prop work, animation and puppeteering workshops and a Q&A session with industry experts.
There will be an extensive programme of film screenings, including classics such as Top Gun, The Great Escape and Jurassic Park. Enthusiasts can also catch some newer titles such as Early Man, this year’s Rocketman, and the award-winning Kingsman: The Secret Service.
As part of the event, aspiring film-makers will have the opportunity to enter a short film competition, producing a one minute short. The competition is supported and will be judged by The University South Wales Film and Television School.
DRESD Studios will also be hosting the Guinness World Record attempt for the largest ever Film Quiz as part of the festival finale on 05 October. 500 competitors will be grouped in teams of 10 and immersed into props and sets from popular films and TV shows.
The event has been inspired by the Creative Rural Communities Team who are working in partnership with the Vale of Glamorgan council. The project has received funding through the Vale of Glamorgan Council and the Wales Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 (RDP), which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government.
“There is an abundance of culture and talent in The Vale of Glamorgan, and the Council is committed to supporting initiatives that help cultivate that talent.
“As Vale residents, we are privileged to have had this project brought to our doorsteps, with plenty of exciting and diverse events taking place over the two weeks. Without a doubt, there will be something for everyone.” - Cabinet Member for Art, Leisure and Culture, Cllr Kathryn McCaffer.
“We are supporting some really unique projects across the festival, many of which are free for the public.
“Some include making a short documentary on the Big Issue sellers in the Vale, supporting an oral history project and hosting a WW2 event at the Aerospace Park in St Athan. To mark the 40th anniversary of Apocalypse Now, we’ll host a special screening in an air hangar, surrounded by aircraft from the era.
“The response from the rural community has been astonishing, and we’re very excited to get underway.” - Madeleine Sims, Rural Regeneration Officer and curator of the festival.
The short film competition is now open for entries on www.valefilmfest.co.uk and the full film festival program and tickets will be available from the August 19.