A “GRIPPING” interpretation of the Gelert story has won a prestigious award in a Manchester film festival.

Premiered on S4C recently as part of the channel’s Legends season, the 15 minute film Beddgelert won the Best British Short Film category in the Kinofilm Festival, beating off three other highly lauded films.

Beddgelert (translation: Gelert’s Grave), by the award-winning Welsh-born Los Angeles director Medeni Griffiths, is a fresh but realistic interpretation of the famous story about Prince Llywelyn the Great’s faithful dog who sacrifices its life to save its master’s son and heir.

Shot on location in the Dolwyddelan area, Snowdonia, the film’s tragic main characters are Prince Llywelyn the Great (portrayed by Andrew Howard, who also starred in Taken 3, Hangover Part 2 and Boardwalk Empire, amongst others) and his late wife Siwan (Catherine Ayers, who also starred in Byw Celwydd, Un Bore Mercher/Keeping Faith and Y Streic a fi).

Medeni Griffiths, the Penarth-bred writer/director, known for her imaginative and engaging directing style, said: “The whole team is thrilled about the Kinofilm win. We’re so happy that the story we all grew up with has resonated with people in Wales as well as on a more international scale – what more could you hope for!

“The idea behind the piece was always to ground the myth and Llywelyn’s character, while at the same time preserving the haunting atmosphere of the original story that everyone loves so much.

“The landscape is so distinctive and beautiful, we were very aware that it almost feels like its own character in the story; we wanted to make sure we captured it in the most cinematic way possible and I think our director of photography did a fantastic job at that.”

Produced by Benjamin Jenkins, the film also stars Rupert Bradfield as Llywelyn’s son Dafydd, and Fern as Gelert.

With award-winning composer Ceiri Torjussen writing the score, Stuart Biddlecombe as director of photography (also on Casualty and Sherlock, amongst other productions) and Alys Bevan behind the costume direction.

This Bad Wolf production is one of a number of short films commissioned by Ffilm Cymru Wales and the BFI NET.WORK’s Beacons in a scheme for encouraging emerging filmmakers.

Amanda Rees, S4C’s creative content director, said: “We congratulate the production team behind the captivating film and are delighted that we can give Medeni Griffiths’ work a wide platform on S4C. It is an exciting interpretation of one of our country’s most famous folktales and we are proud to have premiered the film as part of our S4C Chwedlau Legends month.”