Carmarthenshire Theatres takes a walk on the wild side for the May Ffilm Ffest Mis Mai 08 with an animal-themed programme for families and big screen enthusiasts alike, that’s sure to have something for everyone.

The May Ffilm Ffest Mis Mai 08 is a celebration of animals and salute to the directors who ignored the refrain “never work with children and animals” with spectacular results. With plenty for all ages to feast their eyes upon and enjoy, it’s bursting at the seams with the films that deserve to be savoured on the big screen!

This glorious retrospective revives family favourites such as Black Beauty, featuring Lord Of The Rings and Sharpe star Sean Bean, Tarka The Otter, groundbreaking for its time in using wildlife for the main role, and Born Free.

How could we have an animal-themed film festival without Terry Jones’ superbly comedic adaptation of The Wind in The Willows and Walt Disney’s Bambi? Bambi has achieved iconic and legendary status over the years, and in commemoration of this archetypical work of animation art, there will be a special Saturday screening on 31 May 11am.

All films start at 7.30, with the exception from the Saturday special screening of Bambi, which is at 11am. More information and tickets, priced £3 and £2.50 for concessions, are available now from the box office: 0845 22635 10/09/08 or from www.carmarthenshiretheatres.co.uk.

Born Free (1966) (U) 91 mins

Wildlife films don’t get any better than this 1966 film based on the true life of gamekeeper Joy Adamson and her husband George, which also famously spawned the iconic song of the same name. The film stars the regular – but most famous – pairing of Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers as the couple, and chronicles their time living in Kenya where they raised orphaned lion cubs and the difficult choices they had to make about their future when their time in Kenya came to an end.

Tarka the Otter (1979) (PG) 87 mins

An enduring but unsentimental tale of the life of a river otter based on Henry Williamson’s 1927 children’s story. Narrated by Peter Ustinov, the film miraculously managed to get real animals to ‘perform’ for the camera. Tarka’s poignant account has taught children and adults alike more about animal life and their struggles than any other film to date.

Black Beauty (1994) (U) 84 mins

Originally written by Anna Sewell as a horse’s ‘autobiography’ with the special aim of inducing kindness, sympathy, and an understanding of the treatment of horses. Black Beauty has since become an icon both in the literary world and in film and TV adaptations. Here’s the most recent version, made in 1994, starring Britain’s Sean Bean, David Thewlis, Peter Davison, and featuring Alan Cumming as the narrative voice of Black Beauty.

The Wind in the Willows (1996) (U) 84 mins

Perhaps the most famous story of wildlife for family and children ever written, Kenneth Grahame’s classic moralistic novel was filmed in 1996 with a real-life cast by Monty Python’s Terry Jones. Using actors in make-up to portray the animals also captured the essence of the famous stage adaptation, with Terry taking on the role of the hapless Toad, and comedian Steve Coogan and fellow Python Eric Idle as Mole and Ratty.

Bambi (1942) (U) 69 mins

Walt Disney famously favoured animals over human beings, and it has never been more evident than in this, his sixth animated feature film. Following the sentimental story of a young deer growing up as he has a first taste of many life-lessons and experiences, both happy and sad, with ‘man’, though never seen onscreen, never being a more sinister menace to wildlife. 

9th Born Free (1966) (U)
16th Tarka the Otter (1979) (PG)
23rd Black Beauty (1994) (U)
30th The Wind in the Willows (1996) (U)
31st Bambi (1942) (U)