Sunday 30.10.22 | 13.00 | 57m | Scottish Premiere
A woman has terrifying dreams after a curious stone head is unearthed in her council house garden. Studying the head, an expert in Celtic relics brings it home, only for the women in his house to be tormented with nightmares of a half-man, half-animal creature. One by one the archaeologist’s family are terrorized, leading to anguish, death and sacrifice to the ancient gods.
O’r Ddaear Hen (From the Old Earth) was one of the first horror films in Welsh, produced by Bwrdd Ffilmiau Cymraeg, the Welsh Film Board. When it was released in 1981, the board decided that it would be a good idea to bring children from primary schools to see the film, thoroughly traumatising a generation. Now it’s screening for the first time with English subtitles, newly commissioned by Matchbox Cine.
“Whose opinion was that this was a film for children? It has created hours of lost sleep, years and trauma, and close to an accident a few times – you turn around to see if there is a man with horns in the back of the car, while driving – not to be advised.” Mari Williams (original 1981 audience member)
Please note, both O’r Ddaear Hen and Gwaed Ar Y Sêr are presented as they were originally screened for the purposes of historical and cultural interest, but contain outdated cultural depictions/imagery which would be unacceptable to modern audiences.
C/w Blood
Screening in a double bill with Gwaed Ar Y Sêr (1975), part of Weird Weekend’s Outwith strand.
Thanks to the Screen and Sound Archive at the The National Library of Wales & Wil Aaron