04 June 2021

It's a heart-warming tale about brotherhood, community and singing.

Men Who Sing, an S4C Original Film will feature a World Premiere at this year's Sheffield Doc Fest on 6th of June. Directed by Dylan Williams and produced by Cwmni Da and BACKFLIP Media this warm and poignant film, tells the story of Trelawnyd Male Voice Choir and their battle to keep their choir alive and attract new and younger members.

Known as the land of song, the love of singing is a strong part of Welsh heritage. As modern life impacts on the industry and culture, Men Who Sing looks at the very uncertain future facing one of North Wales' best-known choirs.

Trelawnyd Male Voice Choir has played an important role in local culture since it was established in the small village five miles from the seaside town of Rhyl in 1933. The Male Voice Choir is a Welsh institution, and one of the most indelible symbols of the country all over the World. But as an institution it is also one in crisis, as a result of a rapid decline in numbers combined with ageing membership. This is the story of one choir who refuse to go gently into that good night.

This humorous and melancholic portrait of a Male Voice Choir begins when the filmmakers' father, widower Ed, 90, sells the family home and arranges his own funeral. His only remaining solace is Tuesday night choir practice, but with an average age of 74 and suffering a haemorrhaging of the bass section - his beloved choir is facing a crisis of its own. They must act or face extinction. So, the hunt begins to find 'brown haired men' in their 40's and 50's who can take the choir forward.

For producer Dylan who now lives in Sweden, making the film was a golden opportunity for him to spend more time with his father in the place he grew up. Dylan is well known for producing films on subjects close to his heart. A previous award-winning documentary Men Who Swim about his experience of joining a men's synchronized swimming team went on to inspire the popular fiction film, Swimming With Men, with Rob Brydon playing Dylan.

Over the last 15 years Dylan has produced and directed award-winning work for cinema and television, telling intimate stories to international audiences. He has made films for SVT, Netflix, BBC, ARTE and been shown in over 70 countries worldwide and won awards all over the world including Best Documentary at the Art Doc Fest, Moscow, the Prix Italia and the Audience Award at Silverdocs in Washington. Dylan said:

"The story began when my father told me that he had sold the house – our traditional family home. Having lived in Sweden for 15 years, I felt my connection to my home disappearing. Upon my return to help him move to the small bungalow he'd bought, I found my father preparing his funeral arrangements. Despite enjoying excellent health, he is nonetheless 90, and since the death of my mother he has felt increasingly isolated. The one notable outlier however was his beloved choir.

I decided to follow him to practice on the night of my arrival as nothing would ever stop him from going. The room was full of men that I knew from my childhood. All now in their eighties but still singing together. I took a small camera and began to film. The men came up to me and started talking with incredible humanity and openness. The decision to make the film was made right away. It is a story that deals with loneliness, old age, friendship as well as being the story of post-industrial Britain."

Llinos Wynne, S4C Factual Commissioner said:

"Sometimes there's a commission that really touches the heart. Men Who Sing is a great example of a documentary that portrays a different picture of a group of pensioners conveying a powerful and positive message of brotherhood and community. I'm delighted that this film will have a World Premiere at this year's Sheffield Doc Fest and that it's seen alongside the World's most powerful documentaries. I can't wait to see the response and feedback across the globe. Congratulations to the whole team."

The film is distributed by Dartmouth Films – a pioneering company of independent documentaries.

Christopher Hird from Dartmouth Productions said:

"We love this film. It is entertaining, illuminating and uplifting. It is a wonderful insight into Welsh life, a challenge to preconceptions about old age and will appeal to anyone who has ever enjoyed communal singing - as a participant or audience member. The film is the perfect fillip for the post lockdown world, and Sheffield DocFest is the perfect platform to launch it to the world. "