18 May 2015

A programme from S4C series Sinema'r Byd has received a prestigious award at the Carmarthen Bay Film Festival. Dad, the first programme in the series produced by Soundworks, has been given the John Hefin award for creative excellence and for pushing the boundaries of film narrative and fictional storytelling.

John Hefin was head of drama at BBC Wales, artistic director of Film Cymru and was awarded an MBE in 2009 for his services to Welsh film and drama. He was also one of the creaters of Pobol y Cwm in 1974.

The aim of the John Hefin award is to actively encourage the submission of Welsh language short films and to provide a platform to screen their work to an international audience.

Sioned Wyn Roberts, S4C Content Commissioner for Children says;

"We are very pleased to be awarded with the John Hefin award which acknowledges the contribution of one of the programmes from the Sinema'r Byd series. The series deals with a variety of issues that challenge children across the globe and this programme in particular focuses on a family in Wales. It is a privilege to win this award as John Hefin was one of the heroes of the Welsh film and television industry and it’s an honour to know that this film will be exhibited internationally."

Sinema'r Byd is a series of short films from Wales and across the world, with stories specifically about some of the challenges children across the world are facing. In the programme, Cai who is ten years old, is dealing with the effects of war on his family. While on holiday in the Gower Peninsula, Cai becomes friends with Amir, a refugee who is dealing with his own set of problems.

You can watch the winning programme online on the S4C website: http://www.s4c.cymru/clic/c_level2.shtml?programme_id=522790760

The programme was produced by Filmworks and the producer is Sophie Fante. The award was presented in an award seremony on Sunday evening, 17 May at Stradey Park Hotel.

Ends