Victory rounds off successful Eisteddfod week for Valleys college.

Coleg y Cymoedd group picks up coveted short film prize for documentary

A group of learners from the South Wales valleys is celebrating success after taking home a top award at this year’s National Eisteddfod in Rhondda Cynon Taff and becoming the first students in Coleg y Cymoedd’s history to do so.

Harley Johnson (17), Adeesha Wickramaratne (17), Liam Alderman (17) and Ffion Traylor (17), who are all studying Level 3 Creative Production diplomas at the college, submitted their documentary ‘TIC TOC: ( Mae amser yn tician)’ for the short film category and came away with the top prize.

The  teenagers had been encouraged to enter by their tutors at Coleg y Cymoedd and set up their own production company, Cynhyrchiadau HALF Productions, in order to produce the short film outside of their course commitments.

TIC TOC ( Mae amser yn tician) is an investigative piece, exploring questions around the habits people are developing around social media, the effects of doomscrolling – the act of spending an excessive amount of time reading news online – and the detrimental impact these are having on young people as oral communication levels fall. The documentary also looked into the benefits that social media has brought society and included interviews with Welsh grime artist, Sage Todz.

On fully producing and editing a film for the first time, Adeesha Wickramaratne, who hopes to pursue a career in cinematography, said: “ Everything I learned at Coleg y Cymoedd impacted massively on our ability to produce this documentary. I implemented it into the project which I believe made it eye catching. Having teachers giving us feedback also helped us to minimise any technical issues and without the college’s help we wouldn’t have had the opportunity and skills we needed, so a massive thanks to them.”

Nerys Davies, Welsh language facilitator at the School of Creative Industries is delighted at the success that TIC TOC ( Mae amser yn tician) has had at the Eisteddfod. She added: “This is the first time anyone from the college has won a prize at the National Eisteddfod and it’s going to be an inspiration for others to enter and be successful in the future. The group has taken on board all the advice and teaching we’ve given them and used their own initiative to create something wonderful. We are all so proud of them.”

Each member of Cynhyrchiadau HALF Productions is considering a future in the creative industries after this success. Ffion Traylor has spent being employed on a Welsh language short film as part of the It’s My Shout a talent development company that gives roles on professional BBC Wales and S4C productions for aspiring filmmakers. Ffion who now hopes to become a script supervisor or an AD said  the entering the competition has made her excited for her future career. She said:

“Enrolling at Coleg y Cymoedd felt like the first step into my future in the film industry. After starting the course the industry felt more accessible to me and made me realise that this is what I want to do in the future. I wouldn’t have had a lot of confidence to put any of my work into a film festival without the collage encouraging me. I think this is because I didn’t think my work was good enough to even be considered as a winner. But Coleg y Cymoedd helped me have that confidence to put my work out there and it’s worked out well.” 

The short film award is just one of a week of successes for Coleg y Cymoedd at the Eisteddfod. Lois Roberts, the college’s Welsh Language Manager, also came home with a coveted prize, having won the Emyr Feddyg Scholarship that offers training for new writers alongside successful authors. Lois submitted stories based on her own experiences as a woman in the Valleys while also drawing inspiration from her day-to-day work at the college.

Originally writing her own material twenty years ago, Lois decided to return to her passion after taking a break while brining up her children. The mum of two hopes that the award will help kickstart a successful career alongside her role at Cymoedd writing her own novels.

Coleg y Cymoedd also held a week-long festival of its own within the Eisteddfod Maes, including welcoming Cymru football captain Aaron Ramsey and Euro 2016 hero Joe Ledley to the Cymoedd tent to attend the world’s first Welsh language esports finals. The contest was commentated on by BBC Radio Wales commentator and Coleg y Cymoedd Female Football Academy coach, Kath Morgan.

There was also saw a vibrant party for the Valleys LGBTQ+ communities and allies with activities including a silent disco and drag performance. The party was just one of many celebrations of Valleys communities and life held by the college.

Rhys Ruggiero, leading on the Eisteddfod for Coleg y Cymoedd, said: “We’ve had so much happening here at the Coleg y Cymoedd tent for Eisteddfod week, there’s been absolutely something for everyone, it’s a true representation of the full offering we have at the college. More importantly, it’s been a fantastic opportunity to celebrate y Cymoedd. Its past, present and future, in all its diverse glory and we’re just proud to be able to take our place in it.”

Working in partnership with Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol, Cymoedd funds Welsh-medium lecturers and offer scholarships for learners to study in Welsh. It also has a dedicated Welsh Language Team that includes learners who are Welsh Language Ambassadors and volunteer to promote and facilitate the use of Welsh in their areas of study.

The college offers Welsh-language courses for different levels, as well as some vocational courses that are taught in Welsh or bilingually. These courses help the learners and staff to develop their Welsh skills, to work in a bilingual environment, and to access wellbeing and learning support in Welsh. The college provides support in throughout their work, examinations and progression to higher education and there is a Welsh Club on each campus.

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