14 July 2014

Belgium viewers are the first outside the UK to experience S4C's hit detective series, Y Gwyll/Hinterland, in the Welsh language.

On Monday 14 July the series' first episode will be broadcast on Belgian TV channel Canvas, part of the VRT network, to begin a week-long festival of crime dramas on the channel. The entire series will be broadcast by Canvas later in the year.

To mark the first foreign Welsh language broadcast, a premiere evening is being held at the UK Ambassador's Residence in Brussels.

Gwawr Martha Lloyd, S4C Drama Commissioner says, "This is an important landmark in Y Gwyll/Hinterland's success story. As the producers and commissioners of the original drama series, S4C, along with its production partners, have worked tirelessly to create a detective series that would initially capture the imagination of a diverse audience in Wales and the UK but also had the potential to appeal to a wider audience outside the United Kingdom.

“This first ever Welsh language broadcast of the series outside the UK proves that a drama of the highest quality - from the storylining and scripting to the acting and production - can potentially cross any border.

"We hope that Canvas' viewers enjoy the series not only for the quality of the stories, but also enjoy the unique culture and language which may be new to many viewers."

Y Gwyll/Hinterland is a Fiction Factory production in association with S4C, Tinopolis, BBC Cymru Wales, S4C Co-Production Fund and All3Media International Ltd.

Earlier this year, the distributors All3Media International announced the latest international sales. Among them were two broadcasters who would broadcast the series in Welsh: DIZALE in Brittany and Canvas in Belgium.

The list, totalling 12 territories, also including Australia, New Zealand, and Norway along with the USA, Canada and Scandinavia through Netflix.

The second series of Y Gwyll/Hinterland is currently in preparation, with the filming due to start in Ceredigion in September 2014.

Ends

Notes:

In May, 2014, the international sales of Y Gwyll/Hinterland so far were announced. See announcement in full here: http://www.s4c.co.uk/e_press_level2.shtml?id=922