Felinfach Popeth ar Ffilm

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-The Screen and Sound Archive

-of Wales...

-..at the National Library,

-Aberystwyth...

-..houses 10,000

-of Wales's most important films.

-This series focuses on some

-of the collection's treasures.

-We'll retrace the story behind them

-in their original locations...

-..and co-produce contemporary films

-with the residents.

-Welcome to Popeth Ar Ffilm.

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-The film was created on the campus

-of Coleg Ceredigion, Aberaeron.

-But when, exactly? And why?

-Do you remember that?

-Do you remember that?

-

-No, I wasn't here.

-No, but I know

-someone who could help.

-Have you seen this before?

-Have you seen this before?

-

-No. I wasn't aware the film existed.

-It's some sort of visual prospectus

-for the courses.

-Isn't it innovative?

-It's always been

-a trait of this campus.

-It remains

-surprisingly contemporary.

-This was fifty years ago.

-We wouldn't be so clear cut...

-..when dividing tasks

-between the sexes!

-Yes!

-Yes!

-

-That's been a significant change.

-The young women were designated

-kitchen chores...

-..while the lads hung gates

-and repaired tractors.

-Euros took me

-to the old Domestic Science room.

-There was a work island

-in the centre.

-I'm amazed anyone could work here.

-The views through the windows

-are so distracting.

-The development of the college,

-followed by the theatre...

-..ensured young people

-who didn't go to universities...

-..received

-the best education possible.

-It began the process of upgrading

-rural communities.

-Euros suggested

-I visited Theatr Felinfach.

-When did the college close?

-It must have been

-in the early 1980s.

-I can't remember the exact date.

-For how long have you

-been connected with this place?

-I attended

-the official opening in 1972.

-As Front of House officer,

-I'm in charge of the diary.

-The Women's Institute

-meet here annually.

-It's the home of a theatre company

-and Bontlwyd soap opera.

-Schools hold meetings here.

-It's a busy place!

-I'm in charge of Hwyl a Hamdden,

-a society for retired people.

-Could I show them the film?

-Could I show them the film?

-

-Great. They'd like to meet you.

-Hello.

-They're brave to join us!

-They're brave to join us!

-

-They are!

-I'd stay this side if I were you!

-Welcome.

-Who are these? That's Elspeth.

-Who's in front of her?

-Who's in front of her?

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-Isn't she from Llandre?

-Blimey, she looked like Margaret!

-I'm sure that's who she was.

-Berian Thomas from Llanilar.

-Berian Thomas from Llanilar.

-

-Dr Thomas.

-Gareth's mother.

-Gareth's mother.

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-Irene Perkins.

-That's John Abernac.

-That's John Abernac.

-

-Byron from Pontsian.

-I don't know her.

-I don't know her.

-

-You're too young!

-You say it was built after 1952.

-That wasn't there.

-In my day, we were in that shed.

-I attended evening classes,

-sewing and that.

-Are you here?

-Are you here?

-

-Yes, there.

-The handsome one?

-Did you come here once a week?

-Yes, in the evenings after work.

-I didn't sit the proficiency tests.

-I could never do that!

-I'd never do it!

-I've been to

-the former Felinfach college site.

-I had no idea...

-..there was

-so much activity going on there.

-The next question is...

-..how do we tap into that...

-..to enable us to make a film.

-I searched

-for inspiration in Aberaeron.

-I wanted to know more

-about the old agricultural college.

-Excuse me, ladies. Do you

-remember the college in Felinfach?

-I studied clean milk production

-there.

-You attended courses there, did you?

-You attended courses there, did you?

-

-I was doing everything.

-You did that, Gwen, didn't you?

-You did that, Gwen, didn't you?

-

-Did you bake cakes?

-Ugh!

-Did you learn

-how to handle such creatures?!

-Yes.

-I understand

-you attended Felinfach college.

-It was a six-week course.

-We sat an exam at the end,

-as well as presenting a project.

-We were awarded a certificate.

-There's a defined line between

-what men and women did!

-It's more balanced nowadays.

-Women can enrol

-on car maintenance courses.

-Men learn how to apply make-up!

-It's great fun.

-The wife isn't at home cooking,

-as this film portrays.

-The poor farmer survives

-on a microwave meal for lunch.

-How are you?

-BABY CRIES

-My brother's farming

-and his son will carry on after him.

-You want to learn

-to be a bricklayer.

-Why doesn't farming appeal to you?

-Why doesn't farming appeal to you?

-

-I work on the farm every weekend.

-I want another trade.

-Not exactly tidy, is it?!

-I wouldn't pass that!

-The aim of the series

-is to create new films...

-..reflecting modern life...

-..just as the original films

-captured yesteryear.

-We want local people to have

-as much freedom as possible...

-..to express their feelings

-about their area today.

-Having met

-the older generation of Felinfach...

-..I arranged to show the film

-to members of the YFC.

-LAUGHTER

-I'd have appreciated college then...

-..because people learned

-their trade thoroughly.

-People could fix

-anything that had broken down.

-We have to get someone to do it.

-They saved themselves

-the expense of getting someone in.

-I wouldn't mind

-learning the skills...

-..of baking

-a Christmas cake and sewing.

-I'm hopeless at sewing!

-I wouldn't stand a chance!

-I'd like to learn these skills.

-As far as learning the role

-of a housewife every day, forget it!

-We tend to think it was

-a lonely and monotonous existence.

-Unlike us,

-they were housebound all day.

-Women didn't dream

-of getting ahead in the world.

-Their place was in the home.

-If someone wanted to produce a

-similar chronicle of modern life...

-..what should we include?

-There's always

-something being taught here.

-The theatre is very important.

-It's a centre for YFC meetings

-and Bontlwyd.

-A choir rehearses here.

-It has something

-that appeals to people of all ages.

-You mentioned the radio soap series,

-Bontlwyd.

-As one of the cast,

-Emyr's the expert!

-Are you in it?

-I take part in it. It's based around

-the fictitious village of Bontlwyd.

-It's broadcast

-on Radio Ceredigion daily.

-Who's the writer?

-Who's the writer?

-

-There's a pool of authors.

-They're local people.

-It's an entirely local production.

-It's a chance

-to socialize and meet up.

-When is the next meeting?

-When is the next meeting?

-

-Tonight, at twenty past nine.

-As Emyr and I

-walked to the Bontlwyd studio...

-..I wondered whether

-he'd like to work on the project.

-When shall I come and see the cow?

-Has her condition worsened?

-Has her condition worsened?

-

-I don't think so.

-Coffee first.

-Having spent time with Emyr...

-..I realized he could

-bring a male focus to the film.

-But what about a woman's perspective?

-Carwen spoke well.

-So did Alwen, the club organizer.

-Eirian and Mererid

-were both confident.

-Then there was Eifiona. She

-didn't say much about the college.

-But she was vocal in expressing views

-on farming issues.

-The proposed government rules

-will destroy small farmers.

-It's complete madness.

-The next day, I met Eifiona

-at work in Aberystwyth...

-..to invite her to join the project.

-Eifiona! How are you?

-Can you slip out for five minutes?

-No problem.

-Eifiona agreed to help.

-It was time to move on

-to the next step.

-I've given Emyr and Eifiona

-a camera each.

-Between the three of us...

-..I hope to capture something

-similar to the original film.

-That is, to say something about

-agriculture in Felinfach today.

-What exactly

-we'll see within that frame...

-..is anybody's guess.

-I look forward to finding out.

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-Having handed out cameras...

-..I wanted to discuss

-how Emyr and Eifiona...

-..would record

-their daily lives on the farm.

-Here's the camera, Emyr.

-The zoom works.

-I'd like to examine...

-..the roles of young men and women

-on farms nowadays.

-What I do from day to day?

-And also the opinion of other

-generations, such as your parents.

-Who would react the best to you?

-My grandmother is older than us

-and knows more about how it was.

-I'd like you to focus on the roles

-of men and women...

-..from within the farm and beyond.

-We're taking

-two different approaches.

-We've given two members

-of Felinfach YFC a camera each.

-We'll film them.

-Hopefully, they'll get

-easier access to something...

-..than us.

-That's it...

-..their inside view, as opposed

-to our view from the outside.

-Eifiona immediately began filming

-all sorts of farm activities.

-We took them to the shed

-at first light.

-A few have been delivered.

-This sheep had twins

-and a cow gave birth to a calf.

-This litter arrived yesterday too.

-My grandfather didn't like pigs,

-I wanted to keep pigs.

-He bought me two pigs eventually.

-I nagged him to get pigs.

-He grew fond of them in the end

-so we built a piggery.

-We had a small sty

-in the early days.

-He had to build a large piggery

-to accommodate all the pigs!

-LAUGHTER

-In the same way, Emyr was keen

-to record every aspect of his life.

-Well, it's now Saturday night.

-I've had a very busy week.

-We mucked out the sheds

-on Wednesday.

-We put fresh hay down on the floors.

-How do you get on working together?

-No problem at all.

-We get the odd day when we argue.

-We don't argue, it's just a debate!

-We sort out the problem

-and meet each other halfway.

-Do you tell him what to do?

-I wouldn't say that!

-Perhaps I tend to give in!

-Since when have you farmed here?

-Emyr will be the fifth generation.

-I'm the only child. I'm lucky

-I won't have to fight for the farm!

-How would you feel

-if he didn't go on to farm?

-Disappointed,

-but I wouldn't put pressure on him.

-Farming is a choice he made.

-It helps

-that I was raised on the farm.

-I enjoyed being out

-playing in the mud!

-The interest must be there.

-You wouldn't make a success

-of farming without it.

-How many?

-How many?

-

-Eight.

-We're lucky around here that sons

-tend to carry on the tradition.

-Generally,

-the average age of farmers...

-..isn't far off retirement age.

-Who'll give me 150?

-120, 130 I'm bid at the back.

-Right - 5, 10, 15, 21, 25...

-...31, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65.

-I'd arranged to meet them both

-in Tregaron mart during filming.

-I wanted to know

-how Eifiona viewed this male world.

-Over the years, it's been a male

-domain and I doubt it will change.

-Men won't like to see

-a mart full of women!

-AUCTION IN PROGRESS

-A lot of farm wives go out to work.

-Maybe, they can't have a day off

-or aren't interested in bidding.

-They might have to work at home to

-give the husband a chance to go out.

-Farmers get the opportunity to meet

-up every fortnight at Tregaron mart.

-I like going there on my day off.

-It's a break from working

-in an office all day.

-Farmers' sons, like anyone else,

-need to mix with other people...

-..or they'd get lonely.

-There are highs and lows.

-During the lambing season,

-farmers can suffer heavy losses.

-It helps to keep busy.

-Are you looking forward to it?

-Are you nervous?

-Are you nervous?

-

-A bit.

-Hit it - hit it right out!

-(All) Thomas and Evanna.

-How old were you when you married?

-How old were you when you married?

-

-Nineteen.

-Were you a housewife?

-Were you a housewife?

-

-Yes.

-Did you miss

-the milking and mucking out...

-..or did you prefer being inside?

-I helped anyone who needed a hand

-with the milking and so on.

-Were you stuck in the house

-after you married?

-No.

-Agricultural work was plentiful

-when Eifiona's grandmother married.

-But in these changing times...

-..can Eifiona realize

-her farming dream?

-My brother's lucky

-because he works at home.

-I'd like to come home to farm but

-there's not enough work for three.

-Penlan is a 100-acre farm.

-We could increase our stock

-if it had 500 acres.

-We'd generate more income.

-We're lucky there's enough

-to keep Carwyn and Dad going.

-How old were you leaving school?

-Fifteen.

-Sixteen.

-What did you do after school?

-What did you do after school?

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-I came home to farm.

-I came home to farm.

-I came home to farm.

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-You went to college once a week.

-Once a week for three years.

-Could you have gone

-to a college such as Gelli Aur?

-I'd be away for one or two years.

-Four or five days a week.

-I couldn't.

-There's too much work for one.

-I saw my friends

-in college on Friday.

-These are

-the new Gelli Aur farm buildings.

-It's a fairly new college...

-..even though

-it was established years ago.

-Gelli Aur's milking parlour offers

-more facilities for students...

-..to learn milking skills.

-It's more

-than Felinfach College could offer.

-The college also has courses...

-..for mechanics to learn

-machinery maintenance...

-..to repair and service tractors.

-The difference

-in tractor size is significant.

-Back in the old days, the 35 tractor

-was a crucial part of farming life.

-These huge tractors

-are the farmers' choice now.

-If I had an older sister, she'd

-probably have gone out to work then.

-She wouldn't have had the chance

-to stay on the farm.

-I would have settled

-into the work already, probably.

-It's boys who tend to stay at home

-to farm.

-No-one breaks that tradition.

-It's natural - it's in the blood.

-After a week's filming...

-..and the editing process...

-..the participants

-came along to the viewing.

-AERON VALLEY

-I'm glad he wants

-to take over the family farm.

-Many sons just want to go

-to college to study mechanics.

-They won't come home to farm at all.

-I'm glad that the farm

-is staying in the family.

-I wouldn't want to sell Penlan

-because no-one wanted to farm it.

-It was nice to see it

-after all the filming. It was good.

-I enjoyed it.

-Especially seeing

-your skill in using a spanner!

-Yes!

-We like the cakes!

-Take another one.

-Take another one.

-

-Did you bake them?

-You took tips off the film!

-The film was fantastic.

-We were trying to be positive.

-It was positive.

-Yes, there is a future.

-It was good to hear Eifiona's side.

-It's not something

-we discuss from day to day.

-Hearing Eifiona mention

-how the age has changed...

-..I realized how Eifiona

-wants to be at home.

-You've both been very honest.

-We were privileged

-that you'd been so open.

-Do you regret your openness?

-No. I didn't say anything

-I shouldn't have! It's alright!

-S4C Subtitles by GWEAD

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