Lady’s 7 Inspiring Films Set in Wales

Today I want to bring you my top picks for films set in Wales. I’ve written about films set in London, England, and Scotland, so I want to continue the theme with A Lady in London’s recommendations for movies set in Wales. There’s a bonus at the end, too.

Films Set in Wales

When it comes to Britain, Wales tends to be the underdog. But this part of the UK has produced a lot of great cultural gems, from the poetry of Dylan Thomas to the popular TV show Gavin & Stacey.

There have been a lot of films set in Wales over the years, too. Comedies, dramas, and documentaries have been filmed throughout the cities and countryside.

I hope my list helps you navigate the choices, allows you to travel through Wales without leaving home, and inspires your future trips to Wales.

1. The Englishman Who Went up a Hill but Came down a Mountain – Garth Hill

First on my list of films set in Wales is the 1995 classic The Englishman Who Went up a Hill but Came down a Mountain. Set in 1917, it’s about two English cartographers who travel to a Welsh village to measure its ‘mountain’.

When they determine the height classifies it as a mere hill, the offended locals resolve to do something about it.

The Englishman Who Went up a Hill but Came down a Mountain stars Hugh Grant. It’s based on a story that director Christopher Monger’s grandfather told him about the village of Taff’s Well (in the movie the village is called Ffynnon Garw) and its ‘mountain’, Garth Hill.

The actual filming was done in Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant and Llansilin in Powys. Even so, the film was so popular that it inspired a steady flow of visitors who travel to Wales to hike to the top of Garth Hill.

If you’re in the UK, you can get it here. If you’re in the US, you can get it here.

2. On the Black Hill – Radnorshire

On the Black Hill is another of the best films set in Wales. Based on Bruce Chatwin’s 1982 novel of the same name, this movie spans 80 years in the life of the Jones family in rural Wales.

The film covers the family’s ups and downs as it contends with feuds, romantic relationships, and estrangements on its farmstead.

The movie shows off the stunning landscapes of Herefordshire and Radnorshire, which lie on the border between England and Wales. It’s a great one to watch if you love British countryside scenery.

If you’re in the UK, you can get it here. If you’re in the US, you can get it here.

3. Hedd Wyn – Meirionnydd

The 1992 film Hedd Wyn (Welsh for ‘blessed peace’) is another of the most famous films set in Wales. This anti-war biopic tells the story of the life and death of poet Ellis Humphrey Evans, who wrote poems relating to World War I before being killed at the Battle of Passchendaele in 1917.

The film shows the great contrast between the tranquil beauty of Evans’ home of Meirionnydd and the grim realities of the battlefield in Belgium.

Hedd Wyn won a number of awards when it was released. These include the Royal Television Society’s award for Best Single Drama and a number of BAFTA Cymru Awards.

It was also the first Welsh-language movie to be nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.

4. House of America – Southwest Wales

Next on my list of the best films set in Wales is House of America. This 1997 movie is about siblings Boyo, Sid, and Gwenny and their domineering mother in a run-down mining town in southwest Wales.

The film explores themes of Welsh identity and pride as it shows how an absent father, the influence of American pop culture, and a lack of opportunities influence the characters’ lives.

House of America won four BAFTA Cymru awards and the gong for Best Directorial Debut at the Stockholm International Film Festival.

If you’re in the UK, you can get it here.

5. Submarine – Swansea

The 2010 movie Submarine comes next on my list of the best films set in Wales. This comedy-drama was adapted from Joe Dunthorne’s 2008 coming-of-age novel of the same name.

Submarine is told from the perspective of 15-year-old Oliver Tate, complete with all the hormones and emotional swings that typify teenage life. Passion, flawed characters, and the prospect of death all play a role in the film.

Set in 1980s Swansea, Submarine was an international co-production between the United Kingdom and the United States. It’s a good one to watch if you like rite-of-passage movies.

If you’re in the UK, you can get it here.

6. Sleep Furiously – Trefeurig

As far as documentaries go, Sleep Furiously is another of the best films set in Wales. This is Gideon Koppel’s moving portrayal of the declining Welsh farming community of Trefeurig near Aberystwyth.

Koppel’s documentary is a tribute to the place where he grew up and where his parents found refuge from Nazi Germany during World War II. It’s a depiction of a way of life that seems serene at first glance, but is actually in crisis.

With the local school closing down and shops and services shuttering, the community faces great loss and the prospect of a bleak future.

If you’re in the UK, you can get it here.

7. Twin Town – Swansea

Rounding out my list is Twin Town, Kevin Allen’s 1997 film about junkie brothers who try to get compensated by a crooked businessman for a workplace injury of their father’s. A retaliative war quickly develops.

This black comedy crime movie stars Rhys Ifans and his actual brother, Llyr, as the two siblings in the film. It’s set in Swansea, but not in the nicest way. It’s a good one to watch if you like Rhys Ifans and want to see one of the modern cult movies set in Wales.

If you’re in the UK, you can get it here.

BONUS: The Prisoner – Portmeirion

Before I end my list, I want to bring you a bonus mention. While it’s not a film, the TV show The Prisoner was set in Portmeirion, my favorite place in North Wales.

This whimsical village looks like Portofino with all its colorful buildings cascading down a hill on the Welsh coast.

The Prisoner is a 1960s cult classic spy drama series. Portmeirion stands in as “The Village”, the place where a retired intelligence agent known as Number Six is imprisoned and interrogated.

The TV show was so influential that fans of the series hold The Prisoner Convention in Portmeirion every year. There are events like the Election Parade, Tally-Ho Theatre, and Human Chess. Portmeirion also has The Prisoner Shop, where people can buy official merchandise.

If you’re in the UK, you can get it here. If you’re in the US, you can get it here.

More Films Set in Wales

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this list of famous films set in Wales, and I hope you get a chance to see some of them and explore Wales (virtually) for yourself.

There are more movies, too. Dream Horse is the story of a Welsh cleaner and bartender who breeds a racehorse that makes it all the way to the Welsh Grand National. It’s one to add to your list.

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