LLANELLI hopes to become a player on the film festival circuit.

Plans for a new international film festival created in memory of the town's silent movie star, Gareth Hughes, have been announced.

It is hoped the new festival will debut at the Stradey Park Hotel next August.

Creator Kelvin Guy, from Burry Port, a distant relative of Mr Hughes — who made 45 Hollywood films between 1918 and 1931 — has received backing from organisers of the Swansea Bay Film Festival.

Mr Guy, as the festival's director, promised to bring stars to the town and boost the local economy.

He said: "The West Wales International Film Festival will be a huge boost to the town.

"I am looking at bringing big names to Llanelli next year, but as well as international films, we want to give the town a chance to show itself in a positive light.

"After the BBC documentary on the town this year, which was quite negative, this is a chance to put Llanelli on the map for the right reasons, to show people what the town can offer."

The festival is set to take similar shape to its Swansea counterpart, which claims to be the biggest screening festival in the country.

Screenings

Binda Singh, from the Swansea Bay Film Festival, said: "Last year we put on some screenings at Coleg Sir Gâr, and they asked us if there was a possibility of putting on an event the other side of the Loughor estuary.

"Luckily, Kelvin was thinking the same thing, and we are now at the stage where we just need to iron out a few details before inviting entrants to this new event.

"There is no reason, with a little luck, that we cannot replicate the success we have had in Swansea."

Last year, Mr Guy followed in the footsteps of his silent movie star ancestor and travelled to Los Angeles.

While he was there, he brought the story of Mr Hughes, his grandmother's cousin, back to life at the British-themed film festival in LA.

Now he is hoping budding filmmakers in Llanelli will be inspired to tell their own stories.

Community

"If I can do it, anyone can," he said. "As well as the international films from professional or semi-professional entrants, we will be asking community groups and local filmmakers to submit their entries to the festival.

"Whether it be a karate group, a nursery, whatever, we want them to come up with films showing us what they do, and showing a wider audience what Llanelli has to offer.

"There will be a community film award among the main prizes and we have given people a year to get thinking and get filming."

He added: "The festival is going to create a stage for the town to be shown on."

Blue plaque honours life of forgotten silent movie star — page 24