Telling the Welsh Story in Sky’s Save the Cinema with Director Sara Sugarman

Sky Original film Save the Cinema was inspired by the extraordinary real-life events sparked by tenacious hairdresser Liz Evans (Samantha Morton). Taking place in 1993 in Carmarthen, Wales the town council made the unwelcome announcement that The Lyric Theatre – the town’s much-loved but financially stricken cinema – would be demolished so a shopping centre could be built in its place. Liz, a linchpin to the local community, devises a plan and barricades herself in the theatre alongside her friends to stop the council from taking the cinema away.

Joining us is the film’s Director, Sara Sugarman who will be speaking with WFTV Wales Mentoring Producer and host, Hannah Corneck to discuss her vision to tell this Welsh story, her research into the movement and its people and the importance of bringing it to the big screen.

Save the Cinema will be available to watch in cinemas from 14 January 2022 as well as available on Sky Cinema and streaming service NOW.

Attendees will also be offered the option to select a ticket to view Save the Cinema. A link and access code will be shared ahead of the event. In order to receive a screening link, you must book a ticket by 14:00 on Friday 15 October.

Sara Sugarman grew up in Rhyl in North Wales and started her career as in acting, getting her first acting job in Grange Hill playing Jessica Samuels. She worked extensively in television and theatre. Her debut film appearance was in Those Glory Glory Days for film 4 followed by Sid and Nancy, which sparked the idea of her making her own films. After graduating RADA, in 1990 she started her own theatre company at the Union Chapel in Islington, London where workshops led to performances of classic plays. Her theatre company then progressed through the London Fringe to a regular fixture at the Hackney Empire where they performed new writing. After a break from theatre to study, in 1995 Sara graduated film school her first film, up The Valley won 7 film festivals, winning the Welsh International film festival gave her enough money to make her next short, Valley Girls with Rosanna Arquette, Shelly Winters and a cleaning lady from Wales. It won 9 film festivals including a Bafta Cymru nomination, her third short Anthrakitis won 12 film festivals including a BAFTA nomination. Sara wrote and directed her feature film debut, Very Annie Mary won major awards including Sundance Film festival, HBO comedy festival, Orange prize and a BAFTA Cymru nomination,  she was asked to direct Disney’s feature comedy Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen. Sara then worked as a screenwriter for various studios, actors and production companies and was part of the writer’s room at ABC for Brothers and Sisters. In 2012 she co-wrote and directed Vinyl, a British comedy that played well at film festivals picking up 12 awards and played in cinemas and was brought by Sky TV and in 2013 she directed House of Versace. Sara is a filmmaker who loves to tell warm hearted British stories, and through Sky Original’s Save the Cinema has brought the story of Liz Evans’ tenacity to the screen.

Hannah Corneck, Host, is WFTV’s Mentoring Producer for Wales. Hannah’s career started in journalism before moving into factual production where she worked for over 20 years launching and producing shows like DIY SOS: The Big Build, Comic and Sport Relief documentaries and cookery series with Michel Roux Junior, The Hairy Bikers and Tom Kerridge. She is now a coach, professional development designer and trainer who supports people working in the creative industries to be their best, most fulfilled and confident selves.

Event Schedule:

17:55: Please join the webinar waiting room

18:00: Hannah to lead conversation

18:45: Attendee Q&A opens

19:00: Finish

How will the online event work?

This event will be live streamed via Zoom.us. Viewing details will be sent via your confirmation.

Attending participants will not be visible to others and will be muted throughout the session. After the talk, there will be an opportunity for audience members to ask their questions to the panel by using the Q&A feature.

This event is for existing WFTV members only.

If you are not a member and would like to join, membership costs just £100 + VAT/yr , please click here or email admin@wftv.org.uk

At WFTV we’re really keen to ensure that all our events are accessible for everyone. So if you have any particular access needs, please can you let us know before an event and we will do our best to accommodate you. We would be grateful if you can give us as much notice as possible – please contact admin@wftv.org.uk