Ffilm Cymru Wales supports cinemas and festivals to share stories and connect communities

With National Lottery funding delegated by the Arts Council of Wales, Ffilm Cymru Wales provides support to independent film exhibitors to entertain and inspire people throughout the nation with a greater choice of films. As part of the organisation’s commitment to innovation, inclusion and sustainability, their Film Exhibitor Fund encourages cinemas and film festivals to develop their work in an evolving sector, connecting their local communities through cinema. 

In the first of two rounds for 2024/25, Ffilm Cymru Wales has awarded Film Exhibitor Funding to:

Abertoir International Horror Festival

Aberystwyth’s annual feast of horror returns to haunt the town’s Arts Centre 14th – 17th November. This year, Abertoir will explore nature and the environment in the genre with a diverse variety of new and classic films, as well as shorts, talks and live music. To help ensure the festival is accessible to all, Abertoir will also host an online version with full SDH captions. 

Cardiff Animation Festival

Cardiff Animation Festival’s year-round programme is bringing a wide range of exciting, animated feature films, short film screenings, exclusive Q&As and informal learning activities to people in Cardiff, as well as taking a touring programme of Welsh work to rural cinemas across Wales.

Cellb: Sgrin Emyr

Ffilm Cymru Wales funding will support this non-profit cinema in Blaenau Ffestiniog to launch their new project, Sgrin Emyr – a celebration of Welsh film, music and language in memory of Emyr Glyn Williams. The project hopes to bring the local community together to share Emyr’s passion for Welsh culture and inspire a new generation to express themselves creatively. 

Hijinx: Unity Film Festival

The second Unity Film Festival from inclusive theatre and film organisation Hijinx will promote bold, daring, and high-quality work that is disabled-led and/or inclusive of people with learning disabilities and autism. The festival will host shorts, features and talks over 8th and 9th November, and will be fully accessible with BSL interpretation, audio description and live captions.   

Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival

Dedicated to sharing LGBTQ+ stories, the Iris Prize Film Festival brings filmmakers from around the world to Cardiff. The 18th festival will take place from 8th to 13th October with a host of short and feature films, as well as talks, parties and the prestigious Iris Prize awards ceremony.

Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival

Kotatsu Festival will showcase the latest Japanese animation at Cardiff’s Chapter Arts Centre and Aberystwyth Arts Centre again this Autumn. The festival screens short and feature length animated films for anime fans young and old, as well as hosting a Japanese marketplace, live music and an online filmmaker Q&A. 

Theatr Gwaun: Welcome Wednesdays

Fishguard’s community-owned cinema and arts venue will introduce Welcome Wednesdays – a new programme of film screenings designed to engage new audiences, challenge stereotypes and diversify the kinds of films the cinema shows. With reduced ticket and refreshment prices, and a welcoming space for discussion, Theatr Gwaun hopes to build a new community of film lovers in the area. 

Watch-Africa

Since 2013, Watch-Africa has celebrated the best of African cinema in Wales. After receiving Ffilm Cymru Wales funding for audience development research in 2022, Watch-Africa is now refocussing on showing films in community spaces across Cardiff, working with local diaspora to curate screenings, exhibitions and conversations in May and June 2025.

Earlier this year, Ffilm Cymru Wales partnered with Film Hub Wales to offer business development workshops and tailored one-to-one training to cinemas and film festivals, led by Mustard Studio. This invaluable service supported Welsh exhibitors to focus their audiences, project their brands and build sustainable businesses.  

Ffilm Cymru Wales are also hosting online networking sessions offering exhibitors the chance to chat with Chief Executive Lee Walters, share their challenges and successes, and discuss ideas for supporting the Welsh cinema sector. The first of these events is on 3rd October, and people can register to attend here.