A poignant portrait of Gwynfi, a remote former pit village at the top of the Afan valley, near Port Talbot, South Wales, This short takes as its cue the iconic feature film about the nationalization of the mines, ‘Blue Scar’ by Jill Craigie (1949), shot in the village and featuring local people as actors. Different generations of residents, reflect on the changing face of their valley, transformed from, yet marked by, its industrial past, as the community holds together in the face of continued austerity and the decline of traditional jobs.
Directed by Imperfect Cinema with Gwynfi residents. Produced by Lizzie Thynne as part of the ‘Jill Craigie: Film Pioneer’ project, 2025. The film was shot during workshops at Gwynfi Miners Hall, and was an experiment in using Craigie’s film as a springboard for community members to create video about the valley and its heritage. Supported by the AHRC Impact Acceleration Account, University of Sussex.
The film is currently being submitted to festivals.