Ffolio commissions three more aspiring filmmakers from Wales and opens new funding round

Ffolio is a partnership between BBC Arts, BBC Cymru Wales, Arts Council of Wales and Ffilm Cymru offering training, mentoring and BBC commissioning opportunities to creative people in Wales that don’t have experience in film and TV. Whether a dancer, blogger, musician, writer, photographer, graffiti artist, games designer, puppeteer, circus performer or animator, Ffolio is a new opportunity for people in Wales to celebrate their creativity.

Since 2020, Ffolio has commissioned 12 vibrant short films reflecting Wales’ rich variety of creative talent, including writer Lloyd Glanville’s Cardiff, I Love You, photographer Ashrah Suudy’s In a Room Full of Sisters and ballet dancer Krystal S. Lowe’s Daughters of the Sea. Finished films have premiered on special BBC Four programmes before being released on BBC iPlayer.

The three latest Ffolio short films to go into production are:

017 Pink Punch

A feminist comedy from journalist and writer Polly Mannings. Sick of her bleak reality, Cait enlists the help of wild best friend Becca to achieve her dream of having pink hair – with unforeseen consequences.

Having written for VICE UK and the Western Mail, Polly is now turning towards fiction, explaining: “My major creative interest is to explore the experiences of young people in rural and post-industrial Wales; in particular, the perceived ‘grimness’ of economically deprived areas, and the ways in which young Welsh people cope with, and often controvert, a supposedly ‘bleak’ existence. It is crucial to show these lives that are so rarely seen on screen, both as an act of celebration, and an interrogation of what it means ‘to be Welsh.’"

Two B or not Two B?

Hywel Matthews’ documentary delves to the bottom of a heated debate over the correct spelling of his village in south Wales: Cefn Cribwr or Cefn Cribbwr?

After losing his job in Bridgend’s closed Ford factory, Hywel is now looking for a fresh start with a creative career in film. “I have never worked on a film before and it’s something that I have always been interested in, but not brave enough to pursue,” he says. “With this new chapter in my life, I’m keen to get stuck in and be a part of this exciting project.” 

Freedom Through Lockdown

A drama shining a light on one of the positive aspects of living through a global pandemic, from north Wales performer and choreographer Rhys Thomas. Before COVID-19, John’s disability left him in a constant lonely lockdown. But when the whole world is forced to stay inside, he finds some freedom as more people begin to reach out during their own confinement.

The three filmmakers attended an online training bootcamp in October 2020 as part of the commissioning process, before beginning production on their short films with expert guidance from industry mentors Jay Bedwani (Donna, Fridays with Barry), Prano Bailey-Bond (Censor, Nasty) and Justin Edgar of 104 Films.

Earlier this year, Ffolio offered people a new way to express themselves with a special round of funding for unique and innovative audio projects. Ffilm Cymru received over 50 applications from creative talent in Wales with something to say, and commissioning decisions for Ffolio Audio will be announced in the summer.