Film Agency For Wales Backs 'Ffresh Student Moving Image Festival'

The Ffresh Student Moving Image Festival, held annually in Aberystwyth, has received the full commitment of the newly established Film Agency for Wales, which has adopted the event, backing it with a substantial grant and a determination to build upon its successes and enhance it for 2007.
The Film Agency’s £45,000 funding package for the festival, which takes place from February 15-16 2007, at Aberystwyth Arts Centre, makes the Film Agency the festival’s largest single contributor.
Now in its sixth year, the festival celebrates and rewards the best work by up-and-coming moving image talent in Wales. It also provides a vital link between higher education and the film industry, providing budding film and media creators with the opportunity to showcase their work to reputed industry professionals.
Entrants submit their work under any of the nine categories, which range from factual to fiction, from music media to animation and from interactive media to short shorts, namely films under three minutes.
The best five entries in each category are then featured at the festival, with special award ceremonies taking place during the event to announce the category winners. Successful media work is also streamed live on the festival website: www.ffresh.com
Pauline Burt, Chief Executive, Film Agency for Wales, said: “Our investment in the Ffresh Student Moving Image Festival demonstrates our commitment to nurture new film and media talent in Wales, in line with our brief to facilitate the emergence of a viable and sustainable Welsh film industry. The 2006 festival was highly successful, attracting over 240 entries from students over 12 universities and colleges. I am confident that next year’s event will be even better and would like to encourage film professionals and enthusiasts to go along to Aberystwyth to experience for themselves the quality and creativity of the work featured.”
Berwyn Rowlands, Managing Director of The Festivals Company, who have been awarded the tender to manage the 2006/07 festival, said: “This is fantastic news for the Ffresh festival. The media industry is rapidly evolving here in Wales and significant financial support, such as this grant from the Film Agency for Wales, ensures we keep abreast of new technologies and techniques. We have a wealth of developing talent amongst our student population and it is a privilege to showcase the best of their new works at the Ffresh festival and provide them with access to a global audience through live streaming on our website.”
(DS)