Coming soon from Ffilm Cymru Wales

From animated family adventure to time-twisting rom-com and LGBTQ+ celebrations, there’s a Welsh film for everyone on the way. Keep an eye out for these Ffilm Cymru funded films coming to cinemas and screens at home this year.

The Almond and The Seahorse

The Almond and the Seahorse are the nicknames given to the parts of our brains that lay down new memories and hold on to the old ones. After a TBI (a traumatic brain injury) these parts can change, become new pathways, creating a new you... but what gets forgotten and who gets left behind? Usually, the people who love us the most.

Based on the play, The Almond and the Seahorse stars Rebel Wilson, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Trine Dyrholm, Celyn Jones, Meera Syal, Ruth Madeley and Alice Lowe. The film is written by Celyn Jones and Kaite O’Reilly, with Jones and Tom Stern serving as first time co-directors.

The Ffilm Cymru funded drama will be released in UK cinemas by Picnik Entertainment from 10th May.

Unicorns

Set against a secretive London subculture, Unicorns follows a queer performer living a double life and a single father working as a mechanic, whose lives collide after a chance encounter. This cross-cultural romance directed by Sally El Hosaini and James Krishna Floyd, from a screenplay by Floyd, stars emerging RnB artist Jason Patel alongside Ben Hardy.

Produced by Celine Rattray, Trudie Styler, Philip Herd, Bill Pohlad, Kim Roth and Christa Workman, and executive produced by Stephen Daldry, Unicorns was selected for Toronto International Film Festival and BFI London Film Festival in 2023.

Unicorns will be released on 5th July by Signature Entertainment.

still from unicorns featuring ben hardy and jason patel sitting in a car and laughing at each other

Chuck Chuck Baby

Written and directed by Janis Pugh, and starring Louise Brealey and Annabel Scholey, Chuck Chuck Baby is a film of love, loss and music set amongst the falling feathers of a chicken factory.

Set in present day industrial North Wales, Helen spends her nights packing chickens and her days caring for a dying mother-figure Gwen. But Helen’s world takes an unexpected turn with the return of Joanne.

Chuck Chuck Baby celebrated its world premiere at Edinburgh International Film Festival 2023, before travelling to Toronto International Film Festival and Cardiff’s Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival in the Autumn. Also starring Sorcha Cusack and Celyn Jones, the film is produced by Anne Beresford, Adam Partridge, Andrew Gillman and Peggy Cafferty, and executive produced by Lizzie Francke for the BFI, Kimberley Warner for Ffilm Cymru Wales, and Max Fisher and Mary Fisher for MDF.

Chuck Chuck Baby will be winging its way to UK cinemas this year through Studio Soho.

India’s 1st Best Trans Model Agency

This emotionally charged journey, filmed over 7 years, follows the extraordinary story of Rudrani Chettri and her friends from baby blessings, red light districts and dazzling Hindu festivals to the glamorous world of photoshoots, designers, hair and make-up, lights and electrifying action. We discover the transgender community of Delhi as they set about creating India’s first ever trans modelling agency and an extravagant, paradigm-shifting, catwalk event.

This feature documentary from director Ila Mehrotra and producer Ed Dallal premiered at BFI Flare LGBTQIA+ Film Festival in March 2024.

still from india's first best trans model agency featuring a hijra posing in front of a metal gate at night

Kensuke’s Kingdom

Directed by Neil Boyle and Kirk Hendry, Kensuke’s Kingdom is based on the best-selling novel by Michael Morpurgo and adapted for screen by Frank Cottrell-Boyce. It features the epic adventure of Michael, a young boy shipwrecked on a remote island, who discovers he’s not alone when he encounters a hostile old Japanese soldier who retreated there after World War Two.

The illustrious voice cast includes Sally Hawkins, Cillian Murphy, Raffey Cassidy, Aaron MacGregor and Ken Watanabe.

Kensuke’s Kingdom premiered at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in 2023, and is produced by Camilla Deakin and Ruth Fielding for Lupus Films, Stephan Roelants of Melusine Productions, co-founder of Working Title Sarah Radclyffe, Barnaby Spurrier, Co-Founder and CEO of Align Adrian Politowski and Senior Vice President, Martin Metz and Jean Labadie and Anne-Laure Labadie of Le Pacte. The film was co-produced by Cardiff animation company Bumpybox.

KENSUKE'S KINGDOM - International Trailer from Cinema Management Group on Vimeo.

Timestalker

Timestalker follows hapless heroine Agnes through time as she repeatedly falls for the wrong guy, dies a grim death, gets reincarnated a century later, before meeting him again and starting the cycle anew. It is one story told over many periods, all with the messy thrills and spills that come with daring to follow your heart. Or maybe your loins...

Starring writer & director Alice Lowe in the lead role, she is joined by a talented ensemble cast in Jacob Anderson, Aneurin Barnard, Tanya Reynolds and Nick Frost. They are joined by Kate Dickie, Dan Skinner and Mike Wozniak, who all starred in Lowe’s successful directorial debut Prevenge.

With Timestalker, Alice teams up again with Prevenge producer Vaughan Sivell and Western Edge Pictures, in co-production with Popcorn Group. The film was the first project to be supported by Ffilm Cymru Wales and Creative Wales’ feature film production fund, and shot in Cardiff in late 2022.

The sci-fi rom-com celebrated critical acclaim following its world premiere at SXSW in March 2024.

still from timestalker featuring aneurin barnard and alice lowe lowe wearing georgian costumes and standing in a forest. They are holding hands while barnard (left) holds an old pistol.