12 November 2020
The first Welsh language films to feature on Amazon Prime Video have been launched this week.
The award-winning adventure documentary films, 47 Copa (47 Summits) and Ar Gefn y Ddraig (Riding the Dragon), are produced by Snowdonia-based Cwmni Da production company.
This will be the first time for Welsh language content to be made available on the platform and available to members and those subscribing directly to Prime Video.
47 Copa is part of the S4C Original strand, which was launched in 2019 to showcase the channel's award winning original creative content to international audiences and extend the global reach of the Welsh language.
Other S4C Original titles include the award-winning dramas Keeping Faith/Un Bore Mercher (Vox Pictures) and Bang (Joio and Artists Studio), the award winning entertainment series, Priodas Pum Mil (Boom Cymru), and the BAFTA Children's Award winning series Prosiect Z (Boom Cymru).
Amanda Rees, S4C Director of Content, said: "We're extremely proud to see the S4C Original brand extending its global reach as the world looks to Wales for unique content across all genres.
"The way we're consuming content is changing and we need to take advantage of every opportunity to showcase our best Welsh language content by making it available to a global audience."
The films are part of a package of two adventure documentaries by Caernarfon based director Huw Erddyn to be made available on the platform.
47 Copa and Ar Gefn y Ddraig both feature the adventurer and ultra-marathon runner Huw Jack Brassington as he takes on two of the toughest physical endurance challenges in Wales.
47 Copa sees Huw attempt the Paddy Buckley Round, a challenge where runners aim to scale the summits of 47 mountains in Snowdonia in a 24 hour period.
The film was awarded Best Action Film at the 2020 London Mountain Film Festival and has been made an official selection for the upcoming 2020 Kendal Mountain Festival.
Ar Gefn y Ddraig follows Huw as he attempts to run the world's toughest five-day mountain race, Dragon's Back Race. The film charts Huw's progress as he navigates the gruelling 315km route from north to south Wales.
The film won the People's Choice Awards at the 2018 Kendal Mountain Festival and won the Silver People's Choice Award at 2019 Sheffield Adventure Film Festival.
Cwmni Da is renowned for its adventure programmes, having developed the adventure format the Ar y Dibyn/Wild Recruits for S4C and Sony Pictures International, in addition to their annual coverage for the Snowdon Race and the Snowdonia Marathon.
Huw Erddyn, of Cwmni Da, said: "These films were extremely challenging to shoot at times, but they were so enjoyable to work on.
"Huw and I have known each other since we were 12 and it's been great to meet again years later and work together.
"We share the same interests and look at things in the same way, so I would say we work well together.
"Snowdonia is a real honey pot for adventurers from Britain and beyond, so it's a real privilege to be able to produce Welsh language films with this unique landscape as a backdrop.
"It's fantastic to see a platform like Amazon Prime showcasing Welsh language film."
47 Copa and Ar Gefn y Ddraig are both available to watch on Amazon Prime Video from Thursday 12 November. For more information, visit www.amazon.co.uk/primevideo.
