O'r Ddaear Hen

  • Director Wil Aaron
  • Cast

    Valerie Wynne-Williams

    J. O. Roberts

    Bethan Jones

    Charles Williams

  • Country Wales
  • Language Welsh
  • Running time 57
  • Year 1981

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.

Gwaed Ar Y Sêr (‘Blood on the Stars’) and O’r Ddaear Hen (‘From the Old Earth’) were the first horror films in Welsh, produced by Bwrdd Ffilmiau Cymraeg, the Welsh Film Board. Upon their release, the board decided that it would be a good idea to bring children from primary schools to see the film, thoroughly traumatising a generation.

Screening with English subtitles newly commissioned by Matchbox Cine. Please note, these films are presented as they were originally screened for the purposes of historical and cultural interest, but contain outdated cultural depictions/imagery which would be unacceptable to modern audiences.

Double-bill with Gwaed Ar Y Sêr.