CELTIC MEDIA FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES CALL FOR ENTRIES

The Celtic Media Festival has announced its annual Call for Entries, with film and programme makers and digital media producers able to submit entries for the prestigiousBronze Torc Awards for Excellence from today, Friday 5th October. The Celtic Media Festival celebrates the unique languages and cultures of the Celtic nations and regions on screen and in broadcasting, and the awards honour the very best of film, television, radio and digital media. The winners will be selected by an international jury and unveiled at the 34th Celtic Media Festival, which takes place in Swansea from 24th – 26th April.   A total of twenty-one Torc Awards will be presented at next year’s event, including three awards which are brand new for 2013. The festival will honour the important role of digital technology in the promotion of Celtic languages and cultures with the introduction of a Best App award, and for the first time ever podcasts will be accepted as entries in the Radio category. Two new awards have also been added to the Radio/Podcast category - Music Programme and Radio Sports, and other award categories include Documentary/Factual and Drama. The festival will also present a Gold Torc to the winner of the Spirit of the Festival Award - a film or television programme wholly or substantially in a Celtic language that encapsulates the spirit of Celtic Media Festival. The full list of awards is available at www.celticmediafestival.co.uk   Dhomhnall Caimbeul, Chairman of the Celtic Media Festival said:   "We are very pleased to be able to announce two new radio categories as part of the Festival's increased commitment to radio. I would like to thank the sector for feedback received during our consultation process - it was invaluable and will ensure that the Festival in Swansea will be a much richer place for radio as a result. “The new category for Apps is an exciting development. We have focused it on apps in, or for learning, one of the Celtic languages. I am sure it will stimulate a lot of interest and foster co-operation across the Celtic nations and regions beyond broadcast media. “Overall we feel incredibly proud to be bringing such a strong Celtic Media Festival to Swansea next year. There is a lot of talent to celebrate and we expect strong interest in these prestigious awards."   The Celtic Media Festival 2013 takes place in The Swansea Marriott Hotel as well as various arts venues around the city from 24th – 26th April, and will showcase the best work from Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, The Republic of Ireland, Cornwall and Brittany.  The festival is expected to attract some of the biggest names in the broadcasting and film world to the city.  Previous high profile guests include actors Tilda Swinton, Rhys Ifans, Peter Mullan, Ken Loach and Doctor Who and Torchwood producer Russell T Davies. Although the festival is primarily for industry delegates, there will be a wider programme of local screenings, exhibitions, evening entertainment and celebrity interviews open to the public, including a series of master-classes and seminars for local students – full details of the festival programme, delegate registration and how to purchase tickets will be announced early next year.   Entries must be submitted by 5pm on Tuesday 30th October. Full information on the Call for Entries and award categories are available online atwww.celticmediafestival.co.uk