Celtic cousins join forces to film cultural documentaries for TV

S4C and a Breton-language TV broadcaster will co-produce two documentaries for the very first time this year.

A film crew from Brittany was at the Eisteddfod in Cardiff last week, with writer, poet and broadcaster Aneirin Karadog presenting both programmes,

Mr Karadog, who was brought up in Pontypridd, has a Breton mother and Welsh father, and is fluent in both languages. Earlier this year, the awardwinning Eisteddfod-chaired poet announced he and his family would be moving to Brittany in September.

The Breton documentary will look at the Eisteddfod tradition and Welsh culture. The S4C film, produced by Tinopolis, will look at Mr Karadog’s new life in Brittany and Breton society.

Mael Le Guennec, commissioner at France Television 3 Brittany, which broadcasts a few hours in Breton every week, said: “We had already decided to produce a programme about the Eisteddfod, but when S4C approached us, we saw an opportunity to work together on a joint production for the first time. Being able to announce this co-production at the National Eisteddfod and the Lorient International Celtic festival simultaneously was brilliant.”

Llinos Wynne, S4C factual content commissioner, said: “We have collaborated on joint productions with producers from Celtic countries over the years, but this is a unique opportunity to work with producers from Brittany. It is important that we, as Celtic countries, support each other and, on this occasion, we have the opportunity to support Breton culture, which has a far smaller platform than us in Wales but which is just as important to their culture and the survival of their language”