Our Valleys

The famous South Wales Valleys (Y Cymoedd) stretch from Carmarthenshire in the west to Monmouthshire in the east, and have been subject to as many cliches as closed coal mines. The Valleys have contributed much to the UK's film and television history: early film pioneer William Haggar, actors Siân Phillips and Stanley Baker, and directors Karl Francis and Chris Monger, to name but a few notables - and that's in addition to the decades of classic films set against the backdrop of coal tips and terraced houses - How Green Was My Valley, The Corn is Green, The Citadel et al. Around 30% of the population of Wales lives here, and it's the stories, concerns and culture of these people that are given voice in this collection. From folk heroes to real-life role models, from searing social issues to inspiring and indomitable Valleys women, these films cut through the stereotypes and give voice to the region's more authentic and unvarnished stories.