We spoke to writer and producer Ed Talfan about his supernatural melodrama YR YMADAWIAD/THE PASSING, directed by Gareth Bryn (with whom he co-created the series Hinterland). The film will have its Welsh premiere on the 10th of March at the opening night of the Wales One World Film Festival in Aberystwyth.

Federica Roberti: Did you always intend for the film to be in Welsh?

Ed Talfan: The Welsh language has always been a part of my life, but I think it’s only in recent years I’ve woken up to how important it is, how precious it is. From the outset, the story felt like it belonged in the Welsh language. Sadly, my written Welsh isn’t as good as I’d like it to be, so I wrote the original script in English, my first language, and then worked closely with Welsh novelist Caryl Lewis on the adaptation.

FR: In terms of producing this drama, and in your case after writing the story, what made you say “this is the kind of project that I want to bring to the screen”?

ET: When I started writing the script it was all about the character of Stanley. I was intrigued by him – he’s a gentle figure; misunderstood, isolated. It was important to me that Stanley’s world – his routine – made sense to him, that he wasn’t a burden on the world. In my eyes, Stanley is a tragic but beautiful figure. It was Stanley’s world that I was interested in. The audience discovers everything only at the end of the film. While making the movie, were the actors aware of their characters’ story from the beginning?

… it was only during the making of the film that we discovered exactly what the film was …

The actors always knew where the story was headed, but having said that, I think it was only during the making of the film that we discovered exactly what the film was. Although it contains genre elements, the film is far from being a genre piece, I think there’s more to it than that. I think the credit for that should go to director Gareth Bryn and to the amazing cast and crew. And also to composer Jeremy Holland-Smith who I think did a phenomenal job.

FR: Was the script written with specific actors in mind?

ET: Mark Lewis Jones was attached from very early on. Director Gareth Bryn, producer Kate Crowther and I had worked with him before and felt he would bring a physicality and a vulnerability to the screen. Dyfan Dwyfor (who played the character of Iwan) and Annes Elwy (Sara) were cast during prep. Annes had only recently graduated, I think this was her first acting job! All three members of the cast trained at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama
in Cardiff. I think they all give great performances.

FR: Apart from the stunning panoramic shots and the dialogue entirely delivered in the national language, what else did you represent in the film that celebrates this unique culture?

ET: We weren’t setting out to celebrate Welsh culture, but it’s fair to say we were influenced by the language, the landscape, and to a degree the politics of the country we live in. The congregational singing featured on the soundtrack is called Canu Pwnc and dates back more than three hundred years. The singing – a form of call and response – was popular in Welsh chapels in centuries gone by. I guess film-makers face the same questions, but it’s the culture they come from that determines where they go looking for answers.

For the full programme of 2016’s WOW Wales One World Film Festival, head to www.wowfilmfestival.com. 2016’s WOW Film Festival takes place at Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Chapter in Cardiff, Taliesin Arts Centre in Swansea and Theatr Clwyd in Mold from Thursday 10 March.