S4C's first Welsh-language Western film, Lluest, has just finished filming across Wales and at Great Point Studios in Cardiff.

This is Sinema Cymru's first film, a new scheme supported by S4C and the Welsh Government via Creative Wales, to promote Welsh language films on a global stage. The film is produced by Severn Screen.

The film is created by Ed Talfan who is also an executive producer on it along with Todd Brown. Gareth Bryn is directing and Hannah Thomas is producing. The cast includes Aimee-Ffion Edwards (Slow Horses, Believe Me, Peaky Blinders), Rhodri Meilir (Craith/Hidden, In My Skin) and Yann Gael (Vanilla, Néro the Assassin).

Lluest is a period film, set in rural Wales during the extreme winter of 1780. Maggie Jenkins (Aimee-Ffion Edwards) looks after the family's homestead along with her father from thieves and religious zealots. When her outlaw brother – long presumed dead – suddenly returns, old wounds open and tensions ignite.

As the world around her grows ever more brutal, Maggie must forge her own justice in a frozen land where faith is weaponised, men are dangerous, and mercy can be fatal.

MetFilm Sales presented the film to buyers at the Marché du Film in Cannes this month (May), sharing photos as well as the script.

Gwenllian Gravelle, Executive Producer of Lluest, S4C's Head of Film & Drama, and one of the founders of Sinema Cymru said:

“We’re proud to support Severn Screen in bringing this bold and evocative period feature to life through our Sinema Cymru venture in collaboration with our creative partners. This film marks a significant moment for S4C, as we return to the period genre with a fresh, contemporary edge, telling a story that embodies the depth, beauty and cinematic ambition of Welsh storytelling. Distinctly rooted in our culture yet resonating with audiences worldwide, this is a film conceived for the international stage.”

Hannah Thomas, producer at Severn Screen, said:

"We are delighted to produce the first feature film to come out of Sinema Cymru's innovative scheme. A re-collaboration with Gareth Bryn on our second feature film makes the project even more special, as well as the opportunity to bring a bold Welsh story to the screen.

"Severn Screen is passionate about creating ambitious Welsh content with an international reach, and we are very much looking forward to seeing audiences discover LLUEST in cinemas."

Gareth Bryn, Director of the film, said:

“Lluest is a story about survival in its rawest form - set in a time and place where the line between justice and vengeance is almost impossible to see. What drew me in was the chance to explore a Welsh landscape and history that feels both mythic and brutally real, and to centre that through a character like Maggie, whose resilience and moral complexity drive the film. We’re building something that embraces the spirit of the western while rooting it deeply in Welsh identity, language and culture. It’s a world of harsh beauty, where faith, violence and family collide, and I’m excited to bring that to audiences on an international scale.”

As part of the Sinema Cymru scheme, Lluest received support from the previous Welsh Government via Creative Wales. Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy, Adam Price, said:

"I am delighted to see that S4C’s first Western, Lluest has now finished filming and is one step nearer to release. This is exactly the kind of bold, ambitious filmmaking that Creative Wales was established to support, and it's wonderful to see that investment come to life on screen.

“Sinema Cymru, which is a partnership between S4C, Creative Wales and Ffilm Cymru, represents a real step forward for Welsh language cinema on the world stage, and we look forward to seeing Lluest entertain audiences both here in Wales and internationally."

Zak Brilliant says on behalf of MetFilm Sales:

“Lluest is a thrilling, captivating and sometimes brutal frontier story with a unique cultural twist, coming from a pedigree filmmaking team. We are thrilled to bring this project to partners worldwide and are confident it’s going to capture imaginations across territories.”