Robert Lloyd - a Sir Gar Blog of random news . . . and some Clecs!

Day One of the prestigious Carmarthen Bay Film Festival kicked off in Llanelli with the exclusive world premiere of a move set in Llanelli. There was a spontaneous round of applause at the end of the screening of The Shadow Of The Missing at the Stradey Park Hotel, Llanelli, on Monday night. And cast and crew delighted members of the appreciative audience with an impromptu Question and Answer session on the film. Shadow Of The Missing mixes comedy with ‘found footage’ horror as it tells the story of a group of filmmakers who go to an abandoned Llanelli church one night. Filming took place in the summer of 2015, but, since then, Park Church in Murray Street has been decimated by fire. The blaze has been incorporated into the film – and plot lines were tweaked to make it add to the mystery. Jamie Lee Smith, the American film producer behind the project, said: "We have built a story for our movie around the history and mythology of this region. It made sense to hold our very fir...

Jamie Lee Smith with Kelvin Guy, chief executive of the Carmarthen Bay Film Festival. Film star Samira Mohamed Ali with Kelvin Guy, chief executive of the Carmarthen Bay Film Festival. The prestigious Carmarthen Bay Film Festival is being held in Llanelli next week. Now in its fifth year, the festival promises to be bigger and better than before. “We’re now firmly established on the international film festival calendar,” said festival chief executive Kelvin Guy. “Entry submissions increase dramatically every year and we get film-makers from every corner of the globe entering the event. “This year, we can promise more special premieres at what is a ground-breaking (free entry to the public) festival.” The festival runs from May 9 to 13 at the Stradey Park Hotel in Llanelli. On Monday, May 9, the premiere event will be the first screening of Shadow Of The Missing, a spooky story directed by USA film producer Jamie Lee Smith and set in and around Llanelli. Tuesday, May 10, w...

BRITISH THRILLER ‘BY ANY NAME’ AWARDED DOUBLE ACCOLADE BY INTERNATIONAL JURY Welsh production company Tanabi Films, who produced ‘By Any Name’ movie based on the best-selling novel by Katherine John has been awarded Best Feature Film produced in Wales and Best Actress accolade for Samira Mohamed Ali from a plethora of entries around at this year’s prestigious North Wales International Film Festival. Samira Mohamed Ali stars as leading lady Dr Elizabeth Santer, a psychologist, who is taken hostage by John West, which is played by lead Actor and Combat expert Cengiz Dervis. Samira, currently the UK ambassador for Cerebra charity, had to undergo intensive personal training in order to keep up with the physical demands of the role. In an interview today, Samira said: “I am thrilled to have won this award, being able to work in Wales and especially in Swansea and Brecon Beacons has been very exciting as most of my work to date has been overseas. I really enjoyed playing ...

The programme has been released for the annual Carmarthen Bay Film Festival in Llanelli - Screenings at Stradey Park Hotel Tuesday - 12th.May Screen 1 11:00am-Short Films Made In Wales Turn On 15mins Managed 20mins Dancing In Circles 25mins 11.30am- Foreign Shorts Screen 2(Bryn-y Mor) Pour l’amour de Sarah 23mins In der Stille der Nacht (In the Still of the Night) 14mins Une Bonne Affaire 20mins Black Hole 15mins 12.00pm Asian Short Films An American Piano 20mins PAN RUO YUN NI (CLOUD&MUD) 15mins 12:30pm Break 1:15pm-RTS (Cymru) Session Screen 1 My Grandfather Dylan 28mins Q & A with programme maker Phil George Chaired by Robert Lloyd 2:15PM Short Break 2:30pm- In Partnership with S4C Dan y Wenallt (Under Milk Wood) 4.00pm Short Break 4:15pm- Gwobr John Hefin Welsh Language Shorts Dad 15mins Mam a fi 6mins Slap, Clap Ar LLo 32mins Maer Glanio 3mins Eisteddfod 9mins 5:15-End of Screenings 6.00pm Film Makers' Reception Wednesday- 13th May 11am- Feature Film Real Buddy 5...

Latest news from Ffos Las racecourse in Carway, near Llanelli -  Dirty Dancing Drive in Movie Friday 19 September For a superb night out over the weekend join us for our Dirty Dancing Drive in Movie night. On the evening you can sit back, relax and enjoy the film from the comfort of your car. Please note that your car MUST have a fully operational radio and manually tune the radio in order to hear the sound. Gates Open: 5.30pm Movie Starts: 7.30pm Event Ends: 10.30pm Adults – £8 Children – £5 (16 and under and must be over 12)

Pembrey Country Park is becoming a hot spot for film location seekers. In the last two years the park and Cefn Sidan Sands has doubled for Morocco; Florida, Germany, Transylvania and even a Martian landscape for film makers. The latest was a visit from the team behind the historical fantasy Da Vinci’s Demons who have been filming some of their more exciting scenes for its third series at the park. The US and UK blockbuster series that is set in Renaissance Italy, has been filmed in the Swansea, Neath and Port Talbot areas, but the location scouting team found just what they needed in the forested dunescape of the park to recreate some of their chilling battle scenes. The third series which will air in Spring 2015 stars Tom Rileys, Laura Haddock, Elliot Cowan, Gregg Chillin and Blake Ritson with Breaking Bad’s John Shiban joining as executive producer and showrunner. The series follows the 'untold' story of one the world's greatest geniuses, Leonardo da Vinci, during his ...

Welsh author Katherine John (aka Catrin Collier), who has just released her 48th book title through Accent Press, has now teamed up with Tanabi Films to produce an exciting action adventure movie. Tanabi Films have had the pleasure of producing “By Any Name”, which is based on the novel by Katherine John - a No.1 best seller on e-book Amazon and a bestseller in Germany, Poland, the US and UK. Recently selected as one of Amazon’s chosen authors, Katherine John is currently profiled on most online platforms across the US, South America and Europe. In an interview with Katherine today, she explains. “I am very much part of the project to bring ‘By Any Name to the screen. The entire team at Tanabi are incredible, and determined to get everything right. I've written the script with the support of the director and the actors who are all superb professionals, and it is a huge privilege to be able to work with them”. Welsh actress Samira Moha...

There's been a massive increase in entries for the Carmarthen Bay Film Festival. Entries have flooded in from all four corners of the globe to hit a magnificent total of 135 submissions. There's just four weeks to go to the start of the third annual festival on Tuesday, May 6. "Excitement is building and the foundation blocks laid by the first two festivals are paying great dividends, " said festival founder and chief executive Kelvin Guy. "In our first year, we received 35 entries from film-makers. Last year, the total was 65. This year, we've hit the figure out of the park with a massive 135 film entries. "Obviously, we won't have time to screen them all during the festival, but the schedule will see 130 films screened to the public - and it's all free!" Mr Guy said entries had been submitted from Iran, Chile, South Korea, Cyrus, Japan, Hong Kong, Argentina, Brazil, Finland, Serbia and Kosovo. "I've had my world atlas o...

Welsh director Kieran Evans won a Bafta for the Outstanding Debut for a British Writer, Director or Producer. Evans, from St Davids, was handed the gong for his film Kelly and Victor, a drama adapted from Aberystwyth author Niall Griffiths’ 2002 novel about a love affair between a young couple who meet in a Liverpool nightclub. More on this story in the headline link to the South Wales Evening Post.

The countdown is well and truly on to the Carmarthen Bay Film Festival. There's just over 83 days to go to the start of the third annual festival on Tuesday, May 6. "Excitement is building and the foundation blocks laid by the first two festivals are paying great dividends, " said festival founder and chief executive Kelvin Guy. "We always knew that we would start small as a festival, but it is hugely encouraging to see the event growing year by year and attracting more interest nationally and internationally." The festival aims to encourage independent film and cinema in Wales and beyond. Mr Guy said his interest in film stemmed from his ancestors — including Gareth Hughes, the first Welsh silent film star in Hollywood, who was his grandmother's cousin. "I made a documentary about him and met and interviewed some of his friends and family in the USA," said Mr Guy. "So I suppose it is his fault that I had the idea to start a festiva...

The Carmarthen Bay Film Festival is continuing today at the Stradey Park Hotel, Llanelli. Diary of events for today -  More information on the website - http://www.carmarthenbayfilmfestival.co.uk

The Carmarthen Bay Film Festival, now in its second year, launches tonight. The festival held its first event last year in a bid to encourage independent film and cinema in Wales and internationally. Founder and chief executive Kelvin Guy said his interest in film stemmed from his ancestors — including Gareth Hughes, the first Welsh silent film star in Hollywood, who was his grandmother's cousin. "I made a documentary about him and met and interviewed some of his friends and family in the US," said Mr Guy. "So I suppose it is his fault that I had the idea to start a festival in the first place, and what better place than his birthplace of Llanelli here in Wales?" Mr Guy said anyone who submitted a film for the festival — which launches on Monday night at Stradey Park Hotel, and runs until April 12 — will have it screened during the event. This year the festival will screen more than 60 films, an increase of 50 per cent on last year's submissions. "I...

He’s featured in a James Bond film and is known as a top grade martial arts expert. Now Bridgend-born actor Dave Wong is passing on his skills at a new martial arts academy which has just opened in Talbot Green. The Sen Martial Arts Academy is Dave Wong’s bid to educate future generations in discipline, exercise and self defence. “I’ve been very fortunate in life to pick up the key skills needed to fulfil a desire to perform to the highest standard,” said 52-year-old Wong. “I’ve been able to combine my martial arts skills with my acting abilities and this new gym is my way of giving something back to the community to help others follow in my footsteps. Wong was billed as ‘Shangai art collector’ in Skyfall, the record-breaking latest film in the James Bond catalogue. “Any role, no matter how small, is a privilege when you are taking part in a James Bond movie. It is THE biggest movie franchise out there and I thoroughly enjoyed my time on set.” Wong’s movie CV is building nicely. H...