Ffilm Cymru, the development agency for Welsh film, has named Lee Walters as its incoming CEO, taking up the position from November.
Walters joins from Media Cymru, an organisation set up to drive economic growth in the Welsh media sector, where he was a senior producer and funding manager.
Prior to that, he was senior change manager at BBC Cymru Wales, where he was instrumental in delivering the new headquarters to the centre of Cardiff. In 2020 he joined Cardiff University as programme manager for Clwstwr, an innovation programme supported by both Welsh government and Westminster that supported companies and freelancers to create new products, services, and experiences for the screen.
Pauline Burt stepped down as CEO after 17 years in September, with producer and Ffilm Cymru board member Uzma Hasan stepping up as interim CEO.
Ffilm Cymru backed two features playing at Toronto – Janis Pugh’s Chuck Chuck Baby and Sally El Hosaini and James Krishna Floyd’s Unicorns – while animated feature Kensuke’s Kingdom from Neil Boyle and Kirk Hendry played at BFI London Film Festival.
While hosting Cine-Regio’s annual Regional Meeting of European film funds in Cardiff last week, Ffilm Cymru Wales launched Sinema Cymru, a collaboration with Welsh language TV broadcaster S4C and Creative Wales to develop Welsh-language feature films with international scope. A minimum of three feature films (budget level of £350,000 to £2m) will be developed a year, with the aim of one of these being selected for production funding. Teams will be offered up to £30,000 for the development period, with potential for further financial support, and will then have the opportunity to gain a £1m commission from S4C and up to £600,000 from Creative Wales.
Meanwhile, Ffilm Cymru’s skills team has recently secured multi-partner UK Shared Prosperity funding to expand its inclusive new entrant training programme Foot In The Door to further communities across Wales.
The organisation’s forthcoming Strategic Plan for 2024-2030 will shine spotlights on six pillars of sustainability: equality, creativity, skills, green, entrepreneurialism and wellbeing. It is due to be published at the end of this year or early next.
“I am immensely grateful to Ruth and the board for the opportunity to join Ffilm Cymru Wales as we continue the work to develop and sustain a strong Welsh film industry and champion our nation of storytellers,” said Walters.
“These are undoubtedly unprecedented times for film and the industry is changing at the speed of imagination, and while there will be challenges ahead, there will be countless opportunities for us to explore.
“I firmly believe that stories rooted in our language, our culture and our increasingly diverse communities provide rich potential to evolve our Welsh talent with eyes cast to the world stage.
“I look forward to working with the team, the wider screen sector and our key stakeholders as we embrace the challenges and grasp the opportunities for film in Wales, now and in the years ahead.”
“We know that this is a small country with immense talent and Lee is absolutely focused on supporting that talent and ensuring it thrives,” added Ffilm Cymru Wales chair, Ruth McElroy. “The Board is committed to supporting him in achieving our ambitions for fair, sustainable, and inclusive growth in the sector. We are keen to engage with our major partners, funders and stakeholders as we refine our Strategy and develop our action plan for 2024.”
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