Stranger Than Fiction Documentary Festival comes to Wales

A new free two-day Stranger than Fiction festival is to take place in Newport on the 13th and 14th of March.

This new Festival will be an opportunity, co-ordinated by the Screen Academy Wales, Film Agency Wales and supported by British Film Institute, to bring important works from early documentary filmmakers to as wide a new audience as possible, and will be a unique opportunity to see films with Welsh themes never before seen on the big screen in South Wales.

The festival’s screenings will consider Wales through documentary film – looking at how Wales has been viewed and portrayed by filmmakers from outside Wales such as by legendary 30’s and 40’s filmmakers Rotha, Anstey and Jennings. Films will include a lyrical British Transport film, Every Valley, which cuts fine images of light industry in Wales to Handel’s music, in a study of the effects of the depression on industrial Wales.

“We are delighted to support this documentary event at Newport, showing some classic documentaries drawn from the collections of the BFI National Archive,” says Ann Griffiths from the BFI.

“The BFI has recently produced some brand new and some restored prints of these fascinating films, many of which have rarely been seen since their original release. We are extremely pleased to bring these films to a wider audience in Wales and across the UK.”

These older classic films will be juxtaposed with a selection of films from the National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales, including films looking at the changing landscapes of Bardsey Island and Tiger Bay, and with new documentaries made by Welsh black filmmakers and a number of films commissioned specially by students of the BA Documentary Film Course at the International Film School Wales.

“We aim to further develop the appreciation of documentary work from around the UK as well as encouraging an interest in documentary filmmaking from Wales,” said Humphry Trevelyan, one of the programmers of the festival and Co-director of the Screen Academy Wales, coordinators of the festival.

“We will also be promoting debate through a series of talks throughout the two days, which will consider the current climate of documentary filmmaking in the UK, and Wales in particular, and the opportunities for young and emerging filmmakers.”

This new event in the Welsh festival calendar is free to all and tickets can be booked through the venue – the Riverfront Art Centre in Newport.

Organisers anticipate it will be of particular interest to documentary filmmakers – both student and professional, as well as the general public with an interest in local history and the art of documentary filmmaking. The Screen Academy is also hoping the event will inspire the next generation of filmmakers to consider a career in documentary and drama filmmaking.

“As a Film Agency, our aim is to nurture and support almost every facet of the film making process - from development to production, through to exhibition and education - to deliver a dynamic and sustainable film industry in Wales, “ said Dan Thomas from the Film Agency for Wales.

“This initiative supports our aims by bringing documentary films which have been rarely seen to a wider audience as well as fostering an interest in documentary making.”

The festival is being made possible through the support of the Film Agency for Wales Exhibition Fund, the BFI, the National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales, the Internatinal Black Film Festival of Wales, The International Film School Wales and BAFTA Cymru.

Further information is available from 01633 432679 / stfwales@googlemail.com and the full programme is available here

To book tickets call the Riverfront on (01633) 656757