This film is part of Free

Hwn Yw Fy Nyffryn I

Hwn yw fy nyffryn I - This is my valley: proud inhabitants of Dyffryn Clwyd illustrate its bounty and its ancient and religious buildings.

Amateur film 1954 21 mins

From the collection of:

Logo for National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales

Overview

Denbigh Amateur Film Society members were overwhelmed by the response to their Welsh language film in praise of the Vale of Clwyd. Intended as a contribution to local Festival of Britain festivities, it was 3 years in the making owing to difficulties with the weather! Including superb shots of a kingfisher, a limestone quarry and changing farming practices, the professional quality of this film was commented on at the London studio where sound and image were synchronised.

Based on a script that Gwilym R Jones had written for a BBC radio programme about the River Clwyd, the film was previewed 20/1/1954, the screening attended by the county’s Director of Education, Edward Rees. As reported in the Denbighshire Free Press 23/1/1954, Rees blamed scarce resources for the lack of Welsh language films. He praised the film society for producing a film of such a high standard, in Welsh and about an aspect of Wales. The society’s President, Rev Hywel Davies, stressed how the need for Welsh language audio-visual materials for use in education had informed the making of the film. Council for Wales and tourist board representatives attended the public screening at the Town Hall 30/1/1954.