Chair to take 'Ffresh' approach to Student Moving Images Festival of Wales

Ffresh, The Student Moving Images Festival of Wales, has put out a call for entries for the 2006 awards, and has also announced the appointment of a new chair, who will lead the Festival into the next three years of development.
Maggie Russell, Head of Talent at BBC Wales, joined the Festival in February, taking over from Ceri Sherlock, who saw the Festival through development and first years of consolidation and success.
Russell’s initiatives since becoming Head of Talent in 2002 have included Digital Storytelling and the establishment of a Comedy Unit. She is the Executive Producer of High Hopes, and she currently shares her time looking after on-screen and on-air talent and developing new projects with BBC Wales.
“Ffresh has established itself as a must-attend event for those studying the moving image in Wales,” said Russell. “It must now become the bridge between the colleges and universities and the industry at large – as a breeding ground for new talent and the future creativity in Wales our indepedent producers and broadcast executives should have it in their diary!”
The Festival is attended annually by between 400 – 500 students, lecturers and industry representatives and the main element of the two days are the awards ceremonies, during which work in all categories of the moving image are celebrated.
“Ffresh has become an invaluable two days for those in colleges and universities in Wales on media courses – in 48 hours delegates can share ideas, meet peers and potential employers, celebrate each others work and check out the opposition – it is a vital arena for information on the next step in a media career. I’ve been attending the event since its inception and I’m thrilled to take on this more central role as Chair,” added Russell.
Ffresh is now widely regarded in the UK as a unique event. There are no similar Festivals that are national, rather than local, in England or Ireland and Scottish Students on Screen is a one-day conference rather than a Festival worth £60,000.
The next Ffresh Festival will take place on February 16-17, 2006, and the organisers are calling for entries to the existing categories and the brand new Short Short category – with a deadline of July 15.
Those eager to submit should contact the coordinator Elain Dafydd on +44 (0) 2920 333305.
(GB)