Berwyn Rowlands
Berwyn is a Welsh Internationalist who has 25 years' experience in film and events with a significant track record of turning artistic and strategic vision into reality.
In 2006 he founded the Festivals Company which has a number of high profile projects including the Iris Prize Festival - the worlds largest lesbian and gay short film prize and Ffresh - the UK’s largest and longest running student moving image event.
Berwyn was the Chief Executive of Sgrîn Cymru Wales from 1997 to 2006 in which capacity he established Ffresh, the Student Moving Image Festival of Wales, the Wales Screen Commission, and the National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales (in partnership with the National Library of Wales).
Berwyn has produced content which has been broadcast on BBC, ITV and S4C including Llety Piod (UK) starring Bill Nighy, Colonial Gods (US/UK Co-production) and Boys Village (German/UK Co-production). Among projects for radio, he produced Wales: Land of Film for BBC Radio 2.
He is regularly asked to talk about film and gay rights on TV and radio. He has also served on film award juries and speaks on both programming and event production at universities, conferences and festivals having contributed to the European Short Film Symposium, Cork and the International Film Festival Summit, New York.
The Festivals Company from April 2006
- Founder and Producer, Kaleidoscopic, Wrexham, 2010 -
- Founder and Producer, Pierhead Sessions, 2010 -
- Producer of Ffresh, the student moving image festival of Wales
- Founder and producer of the Iris Prize Festival, 2006 -
- Producer the BIG Canol Event, Welsh Assembly Government, 2008
- Producer 14 short films for British Council (Wales), 2008
- Founder of the Welsh Curry House of the year competition, 2007 -
- Producer Party Political Broadcasts for Plaid Cymru, 2006 -
- Founder of Cardiff’s Indian Food Festival, 2006 - 2008
- Consultant and author, Strategic Plan for the Reels on Wheels project, National Library of Wales
- Content Producer Celtic Media Festival, Skye, 2007
Sgrîn Cymru Wales, 1997 - 2006
- Chief Executive
- Artistic Director, Cardiff Screen Festival 2003 – 2005
- Established Ffresh, the Student Moving Image Festival of Wales
- Established the Wales Screen Commission with the support of all local authorities in Wales
- Established the National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales in partnership with the National Library of Wales
Premiere Cymru Wales, 1990 – 1997
- Managing Director, managing a core team of 7
- Publisher Ffocws, Busnesu, and Lingo! Magazines
- Founder and Producer Ffocws National Radio Awards
- Producer Wales Land of Film? for BBC Radio 2
- Producer Llety Piod, a feature film for S4C
- Producer Y Maer, documentary for S4C
- Producer / Director Marchogion y Don, documentary for S4C
- Producer / Director Crogi Mattan, drama documentary for S4C
- Producer Hollywood yn Galw, factual fantasy for S4C
- Producer / Director Rex (series 1 and series 2) for S4C
- Founder and Producer Aberystwyth Indian Food Festival
- Producer Sul Coch y Mwnt festival for The National Trust
- Co-ordinator and PR Agent for The Celtic Challenge
- PR Agent for S4C, Dinefwr Enterprise Company, Interesting Interiors
- Editor Roc’90’s welsh music teletext service on MTV
Welsh International Film Festival 1988 – 1997
- Founder and Director, responsible for programming, marketing and overall production of the annual event
- Programmer Screen 5:15 weekly art-house programme at the Commodore Cinema, Aberystwyth
- Programmer The Other Cinema in Town for Aberystwyth Arts Centre
Ffilmiau Rebecca 1987-1988
- Researcher Tudalen 88 for S4C
A selection of voluntary positions held:
- British Council Wales Advisory Committee, 2008 -
- Celtic Film and Television Festival, Director, 1995 - 2008
- National Film & Television School, Governor, 2002 – 2007
- Moonstone International, Director, 2002 – 2007
- Stonewall Cymru, Member LookOut group, 2005 –
- Cardiff Lions Rugby Club, President, 2005 -
