Marches.Tv reports on The Festival of British Film Hay-on-Wye

Hay-on-Wye Festival of British Film

Many rural areas can be accused of being short on culture, but that is certainly not something that can be levelled at the Welsh Marches, as the recent Hay Festival of British Film proved.

The tiny town, nestling betwixt the foothills of Black Mountains and the languorous spread of the Wye Valley, is already famous for its Literary Festival and it is a wonder that a town 22 miles from the nearest train station can attract tens of thousands of literary pilgrims to watch, listen and debate with the world’s leading authors and cultural commentators. .

Display at Booths Books for the Hay-on-Wye British Film Festival

But surely a film festival in a town without a cinema is pushing it just a bit too far? Apparently not for the residents of Hay-on-Wye

Having recruited Radio 4 presenter of The Film programme, Francine Stock, as patron and decided that their focus would be British Film, the organisers set about preparing a programme that represented a good balance of the old and new with a selection that included classical, cult, noir, independent, Welsh Borders and archival themes. Directors whose films were screened included names such as Hitchcock, Roeg, Jarman, Powell and Pressburger, Loach and Attenborough.

Local bookshops whole-heartedly embraced the festival spirit with wacky and stunning window displays featuring famous scenes from classic British films, pulling off their shelves an impressive array of books on film and cinema to adorn the displays.

Francine Stock, the festival patron, enthusiastically undertook the judging and prize giving. She also took the Marches.TV mic and interviewed directors Mike Hodges (Get Carter, Flash Gordon, Croupier), Colin Thomas (Border Crossing: The Story of Raymond Williams) and Havana Marking (Afghan Star), asking them about the making of their films and why a Film Festival dedicated to British Film is so unusual.

Addymans Books Window Display for the Hay-on-Wye British Film Festival

Francine Stock interviews director Colin Thomas for Marches.TV

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Hay-on-Wye on Marches.TV