The innovative and ground-breaking drama series, Pen Talar, is one of thirteen nominations for S4C at the 2011 Celtic Media Festival awards, held in Stornoway, Scotland in April.
The series, written by Sion Eirian and Ed Thomas and produced by Fiction Factory, is a gripping portrayal of the life-long bond between Defi Lewis, his best friend Doug Green and his sister Siân Lewis. It is a drama about passions and beliefs, friendship and belonging.
This is Pen Talar’s first award nomination. The series takes viewers on an epic 50-year journey as we follow characters from two families in west Wales from the early 1960s to the present day. Pen Talar has been nominated in the Drama Series category.
Ryan a Ronnie, a powerful film produced by Boomerang + with Aled Pugh and Rhys ap Hywel playing the iconic duo, has been nominated in the Feature Length Drama category. The film won four BAFTA Cymru awards in 2010.
A televised tribute to poet and Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod, Dic Jones – Yn Ei Eiriau Ei Hun, has been nominated in the Arts category. The special programme was produced by P.O.P. 1. A documentary following the Stateside journey of choir Only Men Aloud – O Dredegar Newydd i Efrog Newydd (a Boomerang + production) has also been nominated in the same category.
The emotional and compelling story of a family from Wales as they travel to Germany in search of answers to the horrific suffering of their relatives during the Second World War is captured in O’r Galon: Y Trên i Ravensbrück. Rondo Media’s production has been nominated in the category Factual Single.
Ras yn Erbyn Amser (P.O.P 1), which follows presenter Lowri Morgan during her gruelling preparations ahead of the Amazon’s Jungle Marathon, and fishing series Sgota gyda Julian Lewis Jones (Telesgop), are both nominated in the Sport category.
In addition, the Haka sports promo has been nominated in the Marketing Campaign category. The advert, which sees cricket umpires recreate the Haka using cricket umpires signals, has already scooped top awards at Promax UK and Georges Bertellotti Golden Podium Awards, held at the Sportel conference.
Another S4C series nominated is Tir Cymru – O Dan yr Wyneb (an Aden production), which follows naturalist Iolo Williams’ journey as he explores the landscapes of Wales under the sea and the earth as well as on the mainland.
Taro Naw, a BBC Wales production, has been nominated in the Current Affairs category.
The award-winning series for nursery school children, Y Diwrnod Mawr, produced by Ceidiog, is one of the nominees in the Children’s category. The series, which broke new ground in television with the first-ever series of documentaries for nursery school children, has already won international recognition with BAFTA Kids UK and Rose d’Or nominations.
Cwmni Da production, RhyfeddOD, is a series full of experiments, science and fun facts and has been nominated in the Education category. Nursery series Cei Bach (Sianco) has also been nominated in the Interactive category.
S4C’s Director of Commissioning, Geraint Rowlands, says: “The twelve nominated S4C productions at this year’s Celtic Media Festival is a reflection of the variety and quality of programmes on offer to our viewers. It is also a tribute to the dedication, ability and creative talent of all those responsible for getting the productions from script to screen.”
