Editor

The Celtic Media Festival has announced the shortlist for the 2012 Bronze Torc Awards for Excellence. The awards celebrate the very best of film, television, radio and interactive media to emerge from within the Celtic nations and regions - whether in English, Breton, Irish, Welsh, Manx or Scottish Gaelic. The winners will be revealed at this year’s festival in Derry-Londonderry in April.

Shortlisted titles include; Wonderland: The Men Who Won’t Stop Marching, BBC Northern Ireland’s enthralling documentary on the marching bands of the Shankill Road; the controversial Bafta Scotland winning factual series The Scheme; the Irish feature film Stella Days starring Martin Sheen; and the IFTA winning animation The Boy in The Bubble, narrated by Alan Rickman. RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, Isles Fm, BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio nan Gàidheal all compete for the coveted ‘Radio Station of The Year’ Torc.

In total, 88 productions, companies and personalities have been shortlisted in 20 award categories including factual, arts, drama, entertainment, sport, current affairs, children and young people’s programmes, as well as radio station of the year and radio presenter. The winners will be chosen by an international jury and announced over the three days of the festival.

The 2012 Celtic Media Festival takes place at The Playhouse Theatre in Derry-Londonderry, Northern Ireland from the 18th-20th of April. The annual celebration of broadcasting and film talent in the Celtic nations is an important event for producers and broadcasters, for students and emerging talent and for media policy-makers.

A programme of local screenings, exhibitions, evening entertainment and celebrity interviews will also be open to the public and a series of master-classes and seminars with well-known industry professionals will offer students and practitioners practical advice and insights.

Registration for delegates is now open at celticmediafestival.co.uk.

Dòmhnall Caimbeul, Chairman of the Celtic Media Festival comments:

“This year’s shortlist illustrates the quality and diversity of work being produced by media practitioners from within the Celtic nations. Given the high standard, we’re confident that the 33rd annual festival in Derry-Londonderry will be a fantastic celebration of Celtic culture, languages, heritage and creative endeavours”.

For further details on registration, programme and competition shortlist, please visit: www.celticmediafestival.co.uk.

For further information, images or interview requests, please contact:

Paul Rice
Tel: +44 (0) 7796 612 588
Email: paul@materialmc.co.uk


Notes to Editors:
• Please find attached the full awards shortlist
• The Celtic Media Festival is from 18th – 20th April 2012 and is being held at The Playhouse Theatre, Derry. Festival activities will also take place in other venues throughout the city.

• The Celtic Media Festival's aim is to promote the languages and cultures of the Celtic countries on screen and in broadcasting. The Celtic Media Festival is supported by broadcast, film, cultural and economic development organisations throughout the Celtic countries. Members include BBC Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland Screen, RTÉ, BBC Wales, BBC Scotland, as well as the dedicated Celtic language broadcasters TG4, S4C and BBC ALBA

• The Festival is an annual three-day celebration of broadcasting, digital media, film talent and excellence from Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Wales, Cornwall, Isle of Man and Brittany.

• The annual celebration of broadcasting and film talent in the Celtic nations is an important event for producers and broadcasters, for students and emerging talent and for media policy-makers. A programme of local screenings, exhibitions, evening entertainment and celebrity interviews will also be open to the public.

• The festival was last in Northern Ireland in Newry in 2010. This is only the fifth time the festival has been hosted in Northern Ireland.

• One of the Festival highlights will be the presentation of the Bronze Torcs for Excellence. 20 Torcs are to be won in categories which include factual series, arts, drama, sport, current affairs, children’s programmes, interactivity and radio station of the year.

• For more details on the history of the festival, award categories and delegate registration, please visit: celticmediafestival.co.uk