Kelvin Guy

The Carmarthen Bay Film Festival was an idea translated into reality in 2011 by Kelvin and is based in Llanelli, in Wales. The town has produced many actors and television presenters, including the Hollywood actor Gareth Hughes. Hughes became a successful silent film actor when he moved to the United States in 1914. Kelvin recognises his family connection to Hughes (on his grandmother's side) as part of his inspiration for creating the film festival. The first festival in 2012 took place in the Stradey Park Hotel, with the hotel supporting this fledgling venture and 35 films being submitted after an appeal to various film groups on Facebook. The festival was launched that year with a screening of the film 'Grand Slam' (a sporting comedy by BBC Wales) at Parc y Scarlets rugby ground, with many famous past and present Welsh rugby players in attendance as well as some of the stars from the film. The event also raised funds for Macmillan Cancer Support in memory of his brother-in-law. Once contacts started to build, mainly through the assistance of influential people such as John Hefin (the Welsh television producer and director), more doors opened and film submissions for the following year doubled. Festival award winners back then were presented with hand-made framed certificates. Today the list of festival awards includes the John Hefin Lifetime Achievement Award to recognise those in Wales who have made a significant contribution to filmmaking. The festival has continued to grow year on year to become a BAFTA British Short Film Competition and BAFTA Cymru/Wales qualifying festival. In 2020 Kelvin established along with business partner Simon Howlett CBFF Ltd, which the Carmarthen Bay Film Festival now operates under. Two brand new festivals have also been created by CBFFLtd, again based in Wales. The first is the International Media Festival of Wales to celebrate the very best of today's content creators, programme and media makers and media related and documentary photography and writing talent here in Wales and from around the world. The second is the Ffresh Talent Film Festival which is aimed at student content makers up to 26 years old. Kelvin feels it is essential to encourage students to make films and give young people their own platform. Kelvin also founded the John Hefin Life Time Achievement Award in honour of John Hefin, former head of BBC Wales drama, seven years ago. This award is for anyone who has made a significant contribution to either film, television, theatre or drama here in Wales. Euryn Ogwen Williams received this in 2016, Endaf Emlyn in 2017, Beti George in 2018 and John Morgan of JM Creative, who accepted the award in May 2019. Kelvin was also one of the Wales International Film Festival founding Directors and a BAFTA Cymru judge for many years. He is also very committed to supporting and encouraging independent film production here in Wales and worldwide. He also graduated from the University of Wales Trinity St. David with a BA(Hons) 1st. in Film and Visual Culture. Kelvin is also a Royal Television Society Cymru/Wales member and an associate member of BAFTA Cymru.