The BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) recently had their Cymru awards in the St David’s Hall Cardiff and I was lucky enough to attend this event which was one of the greatest things I have ever done. Unlike my other posts, it would be impossible for me to review these events and instead I will be providing more of a blog-style post to tell you what went on and what will go on if you decide to attend such an event.
The red carpet, which was situated outside the St David’s Hall and alongside the Miller and Carter, was open to the public from 5 pm which gave members of the public to watch the nominees and celebrities walk into the venue. There was a massive media presence on the carpet comprised of photographers and interviews. I stood for a while at the red carpet but eventually realised I had to enter the venue as I had a ticket to the actual events rather than just being a passerby. To my surprise, I was instructed to enter through the main doors of the hall which just so happened to down the red carpet that the celebrities walked down. I ACTUALLY WALKED DOWN THE RED CARPET!! I don’t know what it is about walking down a piece of red fabric on the floor but it makes you feel so empowered. Even though no one is taking photos of you or looking to interview you, you still feel like a superstar and that feeling alone was worth the price of admission. But give it a few years and I will be walking down the BAFTA red carpet with the paparazzi snapping away while I’m on my way to accept my very own BAFTA award 😉
Not only was it the chance to walk down the RED CARPET but also the clothes everyone was wearing. This was a black-tie event which means it’s an excuse to dress fancy which is an opportunity I don’t often get. Every person was dressed elegantly with the majority of men in black tuxedos whereas I opted for a burgundy three-piece suit which actually was given compliments from the staff on site.
The kindness and friendliness of all the staff and people at this event were astounding and everyone treated you with the uttermost respect which obviously makes you feel fantastic about yourself. This feeling again was worth the price of admittance. I walked into this event knowing not a single person in the audience which I thought would make me very nervous but due to the friendliness of everyone at the event, my fears were quickly squashed.
The cost of this event was relatively low. As I BAFTA member I pay £30 a year which includes tickets to advance screenings of the film and tv shows, free cinema Monday to Thursday in vue but also discounted tickets to events including this BAFTA awards evening. Instead of the £98 people had to pay for tickets to this event I only had to pay £52 and was given exactly the same privileges and access as everyone else with a normal priced ticket. Each ticket included a Champagne reception which was also a chance for networking with some very important people in the film and tv industry. If you are interested in making it in one of these industries then I strongly suggest getting a ticket for the next BAFTA Cymru awards as there are people from all professions including play writes, journalists, actors and so on. It is a networking opportunity not to be missed.
The tickets also included admittance to the official BAFTA Cymru after party which was at the Radisson Blu hotel where we were served complimentary food and drink including a cinnamon flavoured cider which is my new favourite drink. On top of all this, it was yet about her chance to network with professionals. The awards celebrated welsh tv and film which is obviously a great thing to see but also hugely beneficial to these creatives behind the projects. If you want to find out what’s going on in Wales with regarding film/tv development then attending the BAFTAS is the best way to do so. What was very interesting was that this year they had a game category award which I believe is new this year and was great to see local game developers being celebrated in such a high calibre event.
This event obviously had many award acceptance speech but no was more impactful than Lynwen Brennan who accepted the award for outstanding contribution to film and television. Her acceptance speech was incredibly moving as she talked about her journey to becoming general manager of LucasFilm as well as becoming a mother etc. This was a raw and emotional speech that had all the audience captivated throughout. Another award that was so truly deserved was the award for factual series that went to Veliendre for the series ‘Velindre- hospital of Hope’ this award goes towards giving Veliendre the recognition it deserves.
Attending the BAFTA Cymru awards was a fantastic experience that I would defiantly go to this event again next year without any hesitation. I would also encourage ,if you haven’t already, to look into a BAFTA membership as for a student it starts at £30 for an entire year. This event itself made me feel truly magical and empowered which I am already looking forward to next years event.
Rhysreviews 
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