THIS week’s Nostalgia takes a look at the Reel Rhyl Festival which took place at the Rhyl Town Hall today, celebrating pioneering filmmaker Arthur Cheetham.
Wicked Wales Films put on the event for the second time, with the festival a celebration of Rhyl in past and present film.
This year’s focus, Arthur Cheetham, was a key figure in the early days of Welsh cinema, making Rhyl his home for many years and producing films for decades.
The filmmaker was originally from Derby, but moved to Rhyl in the 1880s, where he opened the town’s first all-year-round cinema in 1906, and in 1908 he followed this by opening the first cinema in Colwyn Bay.
Of his surviving films, those of special note include Blackburn Rovers v West Bromwich Albion from 1898, the oldest surviving film of an association football match.
To celebrate Cheetham’s work, the festival has invited historian Philip Lloyd author of ‘Silvograph – Arthur Cheetham 1865-1937 Pioneer Film-maker’, to talk about Rhyl and its cinemas.
Mr Lloyd’s talk included the screening of Cheetham’s silent films accompanied on the piano by Paul Shallcross.
The talk was followed by a discussion chaired by Colin Blythin, Chair of Rhyl History Club.
Mr Lloyd says Arthur Cheetham shot about four dozen films between 1898 and 1912, more than half of which featured Victorian and Edwardian Rhyl folk at work and play.
The films provide us with an important glimpse at life as it was then: children playing on the beach, annual May Day parades and firemen battling the Queen’s Palace fire of 1908.
“I was thrilled to be come to Rhyl to talk about the work and life of this very important pioneering filmmaker and his importance to the Town,” said Mr Lloyd.
This afternoon, there was a screening of ‘Will You Love Me Tomorrow’, directed by Adrian Shergold starring Phil Daniels, Joanne Whalley, Tilly Vosburgh, Iain Glenn.
The film shows Rhyl in all its glory 35 years ago.
There were also been screenings of surviving films by early Rhyl filmmakers the Shannon brothers screened throughout the day.
Rhiannon Hughes, Festival Director, said: “Rhyl led the way in early cinema in the 1800’s with Arthur Cheetham and has continued to play an active part with many films being made in Rhyl and many Rhyl people succeeding in front and behind the camera.
“‘Reel Rhyl’ is the celebration of Rhyl and its connection to this important industry.
“Arthur Cheetham is an important figure for Rhyl and Wicked will be making a short documentary about Rhyl’s cinema history following the festival.”
The festival included a number of free workshops for children taking place at the Rhyl Create Gallery at the White Rose Centre from July 16-17.
These workshops were led by artists and filmmaker Trevor Cooper and Ffion Pritchard, and were an opportunity to have some fun making pieces of art and postcards.
MORE: Reliving childhood memories of the Rhyl Hovercraft service
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