Very Annie Mary

Directed by:
Sara Sugarman  

  Cast:
Rachel Griffiths
Jonathan Pryce
Ioan Gruffudd
Matthew Rhys

Mary plays "lady in Chapel"

Jonathan Pryce and Ruth Madoc
Mary is in the Background

Director Sara Sugarman
Mary is sat in front pew

Celebrities turned out in force for the Cardiff premiere of the latest big name Welsh film, Very Annie-Mary.

Filmed in the South Wales Valleys, and starring Jonathan Pryce, Ioan Gruffudd and Matthew Rhys, the film is a bitter sweet comedy which is tipped to become a big box office hit.

Australian actress Rachel Griffiths - the star of Hillary and Jackie - takes the title role as a young girl struggling to break free of her domineering father.

Jonathan Pryce cuts a powerful figure as "The Voice of the Valleys", a man revered by everyone for his singing prowess.

When he suffers a stroke Annie-Mary is forced to become his full-time carer, giving up her own dream of a place at the Milan School of Opera.

Comedy comes from real life friends Matthew Rhys and Ioan Gruffudd, playing a bitchy gay couple who run the corner shop in the village.

The movie, which was filmed at Pontycymmer in the Garw Valley, also features many local people at, and their efforts could have helped produce a winner.

Very Annie-Mary has already won an award at the Sun-Dance Film Festival, proving a big hit with American and Japanese audiences.

The film's director, Sara Sugarman, said she hoped Wales would get behind the film as well: "It's putting Wales on the map and we've got everyone in it so I'd love it

Click here for a review of the film from Alan Binks (a must read, I cried laughing)