Directed by Marc Evans (Mr Burton [+leggi anche:
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scheda film]), Effi o Blaenau has just celebrated its world premiere at the Glasgow Film Festival. It will be released in UK and Irish cinemas on 19 June, courtesy of MetFilm Distribution, and will be broadcast on S4C, Clic and iPlayer at the end of this year.

Adapted from Gary Owen’s monodrama Iphigenia in Splott, a modern theatrical classic inspired by Iphigenia, the tragic heroine of Greek mythology, the film focuses on Effi (Leisa Gwenllian), a young woman who is forced to learn firsthand the personal costs of societal shortcomings. She lives in a predominantly mining town where the economic crisis has hit everyone – pubs are shutting down and older people like her grandma are being forced to take on side hustles to supplement their pensions. And above all, young people like herself have little to look forward to, with limited job prospects, especially in the rural North Wales area of Blaenau Ffestiniog.

Amid this gloomy landscape, an encounter with injured soldier Lee (played by Tom Rhys Harries) brings a breath of fresh air and allows Effi to see something that extends beyond her daily life, made up of drunken parties, hangovers and microwaved ready meals. Unfortunately for her, this new adventure will drive her into a world that she wasn’t aware of before, exposing the social crisis in healthcare, which will have direct consequences on her life.

The film is very simple, yet effective. The story flows relatively quickly, and there are enough minor and major plot twists to maintain the audience’s attention. Gwenllian’s acting is genuine, raw, realistic and gripping. There are perhaps some overly abrupt passages in the script, which cause Effi’s introspection to feel somewhat superficial, resulting in a mildly uneven pace. In a way, one could argue that that’s the pace at which life itself flows, especially at such a young age and in a frantic stage of life such as the one depicted here.

Technically, Effi o Blaenau is decent overall but a tad oversimplified. Eira Wyn Jones’s cinematography is very well thought out, but the exaggerated use of tones – in particular, blues and greens – suggests a colour correction that dwelled a little too much on the stereotypical image of rural Britain, which leads to a slight feeling of artificiality. Nonetheless, the glitzy parties that Effi attends in the first part of the film offer a contrast to this, even though they still maintain this oversimplistic colour scheme.

On the whole, Evans’ work is well-crafted and effective. The personal and the social intertwine, and Effi comes across as a rounded and morally heroic character, despite the first impression she gives the audience. The movie is ultimately a reflection on several different aspects of society through the eyes of a young woman, and the story is told in a way that comes across as both tragic and funny. Lastly, the decision to shoot in the Welsh language instead of the safer, flatter choice of English adds to the social-critique element and makes for a very refreshing choice.

Effi o Blaenau was co-produced by S4C, S4C International, Creative Wales and Tarian Films. Its international sales are handled by S4C International.