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The Cornwall Film Festival this week unveiled plans for the Govynn Kernewek Award 2008, the annual prize for the best proposal for a short film mainly or entirely in the Cornish language. Applicants need only submit a one-page outline of their idea, along with a CV, by 31st March to compete for the final award of £5,000, which will be presented at the seventh Cornwall Film Festival in November 2008.

“If you have a great idea for a film, and want a chance to put it into practice, this is the perfect chance”, commented Festival Chair Denzil Monk, “You don’t have to be able to speak Cornish, and you don’t have to have a crew in mind, as this year the Festival is offering more support than ever.”

This support takes the form of a panel of advisors and has been set up by the Festival to encourage those who might have great ideas, but lack filmmaking experience. Three ideas will be shortlisted from the initial entries, and each of these three applicants will receive £150 and expert advice and support to develop their idea, on everything from putting together a crew to script-writing and budgeting. In October the three shortlisted applicants will be interviewed, and the winning idea will then be awarded £5,000 with which to make their film, which will receive its premiere a year later at Cornwall Film Festival 2009.

“We’ve had some great winners in the past, and we hope people will feel they can enter the competition, even if they’ve never made a film before,” said Festival Director Laura Hardman. With Kernewek experts keen to put the language in the public eye, help will also be on hand when the time comes to translate into Cornish, and with coaching the actors to perform in the language. “Few people are fluent in Cornish,” said Hardman, “part of the aim of the Award is to show that the language is alive, and can be used to tell any story.”

The title to inspire this year’s film is Cornish wrestling motto “Gwari Hweg yw Gwari Teg” – ‘Fair Play is Good Play’.

Applicants are asked to submit a one-page outline explaining their story or film idea, plus a CV, to the Cornwall Film Festival, Krowji, West Park, Redruth, Cornwall TR15 3AJ, by 31st March. For further information, please contact the Festival on 01209 204655, or by email at info@cornwallfilmfestival.com.

The winner of the 2007 Award, Jack Morrison’s Bramm an Gath - an intelligent and humorous look at the search for a single written form of the Cornish language - is currently in production and will be shown at this year’s Festival.

For those looking for inspiration, The Old School Film Society is hosting an evening around the theme of ‘Independence’. A screening of classic Ealing comedy Passport to Pimlico will be followed by a Q&A with special invited guest Nigel Hicks from the Cornish Stannary Parliament, and live music from local bands. Taking place at the Old Grammar School, Redruth, at 8pm on Thursday 28th February, tickets are £6.50 in advance, or £7 on the door. For more information please contact ben@themeltingpotonline.co.uk or visit www.themeltingpotonline.co.uk.