Coliseum Gets a Fighting Chance / Y Coliseum yn cael Cyfle

Fantastic news for the Coliseum and all of the wonderful people who have been so supportive over the past year: Friends of the Coliseum has been given another year!

At the Shareholder meeting, which was held on Wednesday, Aled Jones and Alison Raouf of Friends of the Coliseum gave a presentation to those in attendance followed by a short Q&A. The shareholders then had a private meeting to decide on the fate of the Coliseum. The result of this was that they voted to give the Coliseum more time in which to prepare a full business plan and grant application for funding that might be able to help renovate and reopen the historic and majestic cinema in Porthmadog.

The Coliseum shareholders also elected some new and energetic members to the Board of Directors which we believe can only help make the process run more smoothly. The Board of Directors for the Coliseum have agreed to lease the cinema building to the Friends of the Coliseum for a term of one year. This is not official yet as the finer details are yet to be decided and the dotted line has not yet been signed, but we believe that this is a huge step forward in our quest to see the Coliseum back in business.

We owe a huge debt of thanks to those shareholders that made the effort to attend the meeting and reward our hard work over the past year. Your support means the world to us and we certainly intend to validate your faith in us and make you all proud that you supported our efforts and, more importantly, the Coliseum.

Mae newyddion gwych i’r Coliseum a’r bobl hyfryd sydd wedi bod yn gefnogol hyd yn ystod y flwyddyn ddiwethaf: Mae Ffrindiau’r Coliseum wedi cael blwyddyn arall!

Yn y cyfarfod cyfrandalwyr a gafodd ei gynnal ddydd Mercher, gwnaeth Aled Jones ac Alison Raouf o Ffrindiau’r Coliseum gyflwyniad i’r rheini oedd yn bresennol wedi ei ddilyn gan sesiwn cwestiwn ac ateb fer. Yna, cafodd y cyfrandalwyr gyfarfod preifat i benderfynu tynged y Coliseum. Y canlyniad oedd iddyn nhw bleidleisio i roi mwy o amser i’r Coliseum i baratoi cynllun busnes llawn a cheisiadau grant a fyddai o bosib yn gallu helpu i adnewyddu ac ail-agor y sinema mawreddog ac eiconig ym Mhorthmadog.

Gwnaeth cyfrandalwyr y Coliseum ethol aelodau newydd ac egniol i’r Bwrdd Cyfarwyddwyr a chredwn y bydd hyn yn help i wneud y broses redeg yn fwy esmwyth.

Mae’r Bwrdd Cyfarwyddwyr wedi cytuno i roi’r sinema i Ffrindiau’r Coliseum ar les am un flwyddyn. Nid yw hyn yn swyddogol eto gan nad ydy’r manylion wedi eu trafod, ond credwn iddo fod yn gam anferth ymlaen i godi’r Coliseum yn ôl ar ei draed.

Mae lle anferth gennym i ddiolch i’r cyfrandalwyr a wnaeth yr ymdrech i ddod i’r cyfarfod a chymeradwyo ein gwaith caled dros y flwyddyn ddiwethaf. Mae eich cefnogaeth yn meddwl y byd i ni ac rydyn ni eisiau sicrhau’r ffydd sydd gennych ynddon ni a’ch gwneud chi’n falch o’n hymdrechion, a bwysicach fyth, yn falch o’r Coliseum.

A big thanks to the Ring! / Diolch o galon i dafarn Y Ring!

We have received £105.62 from the Brondanw Arms, Llanfrothen (http://www.yring-llanfrothen.co.uk/) and this through the generosity of the local customers who have donated kindly to the Save the Coliseum collection box!

The generous people of the village have also raised £25.60 in The Village Shop.

We would like to give a big thanks to all those who have reached deep into their pockets and we sincerely appreciate all the support.

If you fancy a pint….the Ring is the place to go!

Dan ni wedi derbyn swm o £105.62 gan y Brondanw Arms, Llanfrothen (http://www.yring-llanfrothen.co.uk/)  a hynny drwy garedigrwydd yfwyr a chwsmeriaid triw sydd wedi rhoi’n hael i focs casglu arian Achub y Coliseum!

Mae pobl caredig y pentref hefyd wedi helpu i godi £25.60 yn Siop y Pentref. 

Ni allwn ddiolch digon i bobl sydd yn rhoi’n garedig o’u pocedi eu hunain fel hyn ac dan ni’n gwerthfawrogi pob cefnogaeth yn arw.

Os am lymaid rhyw dro….Y Ring amdani!

Date Set to Save the Coliseum / Dyddiad Yn Ei Le I Achub y Coliseum

CALLING ALL COLISEUM SHAREHOLDERS!

The date has been set for a special meeting with the Coliseum shareholders at which the fate of our iconic cinema may be decided:

11 July 2012

7.30 pm

Y Ganolfan

Our group, Friends of the Coliseum, has organised the meeting which will be open only to Coliseum shareholders. Over the past year that the cinema has remained closed, we have worked hard and have been quite successful in raising awareness of the plight of Porthmadog's Coliseum and the devastating impact of its closure on the local community. We hope to further illustrate our diligence and convey our commitment to the shareholders at this meeting.

In this important meeting we will be discussing the findings of the Feasibility Study and presenting the shareholders with our ideas for the future of the Coliseum. We have some truly dynamic plans for the cinema and we hope that the shareholders will be as convinced as we are in the viability of the Coliseum. We have every faith that the shareholders cherish the Coliseum as much as we all do and want to remain faithful to their original aims when they first purchased shares in the 1980s with the intention of saving the cinema.

We have every confidence that the Coliseum can be a vibrant and thriving business in the area and, with the inspiring, cutting edge programmes we have in store, will help to stimulate even further growth in Porthmadog.

We urge anyone who thinks they may own shares in the Coliseum to get in touch, whether you are able to attend the July meeting or not. We would also like to distribute the final Feasibility Study Report to those shareholders who are interested in seeing it prior to the July meeting. 

We encourage your participation and need your help in ensuring the future of this majestic building. If you believe that you have shares or can help us locate someone who does, please email us at: admin@savethecoliseum.com.

YN GALW HOLL GYFRANDALWYR Y COLISEUM!

Mae’r dyddiad wedi ei gadarnhau ar gyfer cyfarfod arbennig gyda chyfrandalwyr y Coliseum a fydd o bosib yn penderfynu ar dynged y sinema eiconig:

11 Gorffennaf

7.30yh

Y Ganolfan

Mae ein grŵp, Ffrindiau’r Coliseum wedi trefnu cyfarfod a fydd ar agor i gyfrandalwyr y Coliseum yn unig. Yn ystod y flwyddyn ddiwethaf mae’r sinema wedi bod ar gau ond rydyn ni wedi gweithio’n galed ac wedi bod yn eithaf llwyddiannus o ran codi ymwybyddiaeth am frwydr y Coliseum ym Mhorthmadog a’r effaith enbyd y ffaith ei fod wedi cau ar y gymuned leol. Rydyn ni’n gobeithio dangos ein dyfalbarhad a chyfleu ymrwymiad at yr achos i’r cyfrandalwyr yn y cyfarfod hwn.

Yn y cyfarfod pwysig byddwn yn trafod darganfyddiadau’r astudiaeth ddichonoldeb ac yn cyflwyno ein syniadau ar gyfer dyfodol y Coliseum i’r cyfrandalwyr. Mae gennym gynlluniau deinamig ar gyfer y sinema ac rydyn ni’n gobeithio y bydd y cyfrandalwyr mor sicr ag yr ydyn ni o ddilysrwydd y Coliseum. Mae gennym bob ffydd bod y cyfrandalwyr yn caru’r Coliseum cymaint ag yr ydyn ni ac rydyn ni eisiau parhau yn ffyddlon i’w nod gwreiddiol pan brynon nhw eu cyfrandaliadau yn yr 1980au gyda’r bwriad o achub y sinema.

Teimlwn yn hyderus iawn fod y Coliseum yn gallu bod yn fusnes byrlymus i’r ardal - gyda’r amserlenni ysgogol a chyfoes sydd gennym dan sylw yn helpu i roi hwb i dyfiant Porthmadog.

Rydyn ni’n ysgogi unrhyw un sydd yn meddwl fod ganddynt gyfrandaliad yn y Coliseum i gysylltu, os ydyn nhw’n mynychu ym mis Gorffennaf ai pheidio. Byddem hefyd yn hoffi dosbarthu’r Adroddiad Astudiaeth Ddichonoldeb orffenedig at gyfrandalwyr sydd gyda diddordeb yn ei gweld cyn y cyfarfod ym mis Gorffennaf.

Rydyn ni’n annog eich cydweithrediad ac angen eich help i sicrhau dyfodol yr adeilad mawreddog hwn. Os ydych chi’n meddwl bod gennych gyfrandaliad neu’n gallu ein helpu i ddod o hyd i gyfrandalwyr, os gwelwch yn dda, e-bostiwch ni ar:

admin@savethecoliseum.com.

Diolch, Lowri! / Thank you, Lowri!

Cultural Commentator Ms. Lowri Haf Cooke was the host of the recent Carmarthen Bay Film Festival. After the festival she posted a wonderful piece about her experience on her blog. Please take the time to have a look. 

Lowri Haf Cooke: Gwyl Ffilm Bae Caerfyrddin 2012

For those of you unfamiliar with the Welsh language, we have included a translation below.

Y Sylwebydd Diwylliannol Lowri Haf Cooke a gyflwynodd yr Ŵyl Ffilm Bae Caerfyrddin yn ddiweddar. Wedi'r ŵyl postiodd y darn hyfryd hwn am ei phrofiad ar ei blog. Os gwelwch yn dda, cymrwch yr amser i'w ddarllen. 

Lowri Haf Cooke: Gwyl Ffilm Bae Caerfyrddin 2012

I'r rhai ohonoch sydd ddim yn siarad Cymraeg, mae gennym gyfieithiad yma.

(photo by Simon Boughton)

Over the weekend I had a brand-new experience – hosting a film festival awards ceremony!

The first ever Carmarthen Bay Film Festival awards ceremony was held at Stradey Park Hotel in Llanelli. This is one of the only Welsh film festivals that show films by film producers from Wales, and it was a very special night for one film producer from North Wales.

Llinos Griffin from Porthmadog won three awards – the first for Best Welsh Language Film for Llais yr Andes- that follows the Welsh community of Trevelin in Patagonia, and the second for Ysbryd y Coliseum/ Spririt of The Coliseum, and the third for the same film, that scooped the evening’s biggest prize, Best in Festival.

There were over 40 entries in all of the categories, and the judges were amongst those who presented the awards.

In their midst, TV personality and film reviewer Gary Slaymaker, the international Dance DJ from Wales, Neil Navarra, who has just produced the soundtrack for a new film adaptation of Irvine Welsh’s novel, Ecstacy – and the multi-talented actor, Syr Wynff ap Concord y Bos himself - Wynford Ellis Owen.

The evening’s winners with judge Wynford Ellis Owen and festival chairman Kelvin Guy. 

(Photo by Simon Boughton)

It was a fun-packed night, with so many young filmmakers – many of them students – receiving great recognition.

The film that scooped the best overall award is a unique production that follows the history of a cinema that was the centre of entertainment in the town of Porthmadog since 1931, until it closed last year.

Many local residents took part to gather sweet memories about the films that were shown there including A Hard Day’s Night in the mid-60’s that inspired a whole audience to get up and dance, the frantic screening of Rocky IV in 1985, that according to Aled Llewelyn Jones went “berserk”. Also mentioned is a recent showing of Mamma Mia that caused the audience to sing and dance to Abba’s greatest hits, this following a queue the whole way down to the Royal Sportsman Hotel to try and get in.

As one local female participant, Gwen Jones mentions, she had the opportunity to watch all kinds of characters in this cinema: “Cowbois, Indians, Romans, Soldiers, Vikings and that one who ate blood, what was he called… Dracula!”, and an advert by a local company “Warws Beddgelert” left its mark too.

If you would like to see the closest thing to a Welsh Cinema Paradiso that you can get, then allow 10 minutes of your time to watch this captivating short film on youtube and it includes a priceless soundbite from Ryan Kift, that offers the best reason yet why the cinema should be re-opened:

“A place like this is so important to small towns because there’s nothing to do except for smashing old grannies’ windows and stealing pic ‘n’ mix from Tesco...so a place like this will keep people off the streets, so that the elderly people of Porthmadog can sleep better at night.”

For more information about the campaign to re-open the cinema, go to www.savethecoliseum.com

NOT ONE, BUT TWO AWARDS FOR SPIRIT OF THE COLISEUM / DWY WOBR I YSBRYD Y COLISEUM

 

We are proudly celebrating our short film about the wonderful Coliseum once again as Spirit of the Coliseum has walked away with not one but TWO awards at the Carmarthen Bay Film Festival at the weekend.

The film had been nominated in the category of Best Short Documentary. As well as scooping that award, the film also received the top prize Best in Festival.

More than thirty films were shown at the festival in the run up to the awards ceremony, which took place at Stradey Park Hotel, in Llanelli. There, the judges included film reviewer and TV personality Gary Slaymaker and the actor Wynford Ellis Owen. Spirit of the Coliseum was shown to a capacity audience and the Q and A session after the film showed the level of interest in the plight of the cinema, pointed out Llinos Griffin, who worked on Spirit of the Coliseum along with film maker Stuart Matthew Murray: “Some people in the audience had even been to the Coliseum many years ago and were saddened to hear of its closure.”

There was more good news for Llinos at the film festival. Another of her short films, Llais yr Andes, received the award for Best Welsh Film. She said: "It was brilliant to be involved in a festival that was so new and fresh where filmmakers from all over the UK were showing their films. We were commended on our hard work and the Welsh community spirit that is shown in ‘Spirit of the Coliseum’- it has definitely helped to put the Coliseum back on the map – where it deserves to be!"

Dan ni'n falch iawn o ddathlu ein ffilm fer am y Coliseum hyfryd unwaith eto wrth i Ysbryd y Coliseum adael Gŵyl Ffilm Bae Caerfyrddin gyda nid un ond DWY wobr dros y Sul.

Roedd y ffilm wedi cael ei henwebu yn y categori Ffilm Ddogfen Fer Orau. Yn ogystal â derbyn y wobr honno, derbyniodd y ffilm y wobr wych Gorau yn yr Wyl.

Cafodd dros dri deg o ffilmiau eu dangos yn yr ŵyl yn yr wythnos cyn y seremoni wobrwyo a’i chynhaliwyd yng Ngwesty Parc y Strade yn Llanelli. Roedd y beirniaid yn cynnwys yr adolygwr ffilmiau Gary Slaymaker a’r actor Wynford Ellis Owen. Roedd dangosiad ‘Ysbryd y Coliseum’ yn orlawn ac roedd y sesiwn cwestiwn ac ateb ar ôl y ffilm yn dangos y diddordeb sydd i frwydr y sinema, yn ôl Llinos Griffin, a weithiodd ar Ysbryd y Coliseum ynghyd â’r gwneuthurwr ffilmiau Stuart Matthew Murray: “Roedd rhai yn y gynulleidfa wedi bod i’r Coliseum hyd yn oed, flynyddoedd yn ôl ac yn drist o glywed fod y lle wedi cau.”

Roedd mwy o newyddion da i Llinos yn yr ŵyl ffilm. Derbyniodd un arall o’i ffilmiau byrion, Llais yr Andes, y wobr am Ffilm Gymraeg Orau. Meddai: “Roedd yn wych bod yn rhan o ŵyl oedd mor ffres a newydd lle roedd gwneuthurwyr ffilmiau o bob cwr o Brydain yn dangos eu ffilmiau. Cawson ni ein cymeradwyo am ein gwaith caled ac am yr ysbryd cymunedol mae ‘Ysbryd y Coliseum’ yn ei ddangos – mae wedi helpu i roi’r Coliseum yn ôl ar y map – lle mae’n haeddu bod!”

Spirit of the Coliseum at Carmarthen Bay Film Festival / Ysbryd y Coliseum yng Ngŵyl Ffilmiau Bae Caerfyrddin!

If you have been following this blog, you may remember that, back in October 2011, two of the Coliseum's talented friends, Llinos Griffin and Stuart Matthew Murray released a short film, Spirit of the Coliseum. We're delighted to report that Llinos and Stuart have just received some exciting news from the Carmarthen Bay Film Festival--Spirit of the Coliseum has been nominated for best bilingual short documentary.

As well as highlighting the current plight of the Coliseum, the film also featured interviews with cinema lovers who shared their happy memories of visiting the Coliseum in its heyday.

There was more good news for Llinos from the Film Festival. Another of her films--Llais yr Andes--has also received a nomination for best international short documentary. We wish her the very best of luck!

The awards ceremony will take place at the Stradey Park Hotel on Sunday, 13th May.

Os dach chi wedi bod yn dilyn y blog yma, efallai eich bod chi'n cofio, yn ôl ym mis Hydref 2011, i ddau o ffrindiau talentog y Coliseum, Llinos Griffin a Stuart Matthew Murray ryddhau ffilm fer, Ysbryd y Coliseum. Dan ni'n falch o allu datgan fod Llinos a Stuart newydd dderbyn newyddion cyffrous o Ŵyl Ffilmiau Bae Caerfyrddin - fod Ysbryd y Coliseum wedi ei henwebu am wobr ffilm  ddogfen fer ddwyieithog orau.

Yn ogystal â phwysleisio brwydr y Coliseum, mae'r ffilm hefyd yn cynnwys cyfweliadau gyda'r rheini sydd wrth eu boddau gyda'r sinema a gydag atgofion melys o'r Coliseum ar ei orau.

Roedd mwy o newyddion da i Llinos gan yr Ŵyl Ffilmiau. Mae un arall o'i ffilmiau - La Voz de los Andes / Llais yr Andes wedi derbyn enwebiad ar gyfer y gwobr ffilm ddogfen fer ryngwladol orau. Dan ni'n dymuno pob lwc iddi!

Mae'r seremoni gwobrau yn cael ei gynnal yng Ngwesty Parc y Strade ar ddydd Sul, 13eg o Fai.