Film about 'working-class martyr' Dic Penderyn suffers 'huge' setback

A planned film to bring the story of Dic Penderyn to the big screen has experienced a major setback after a backer pulled out of a multi-million-pound investment.

The production company behind the project of the life of Dic Penderyn, who is thought to have been wrongfully hanged in 1831 for his part in the Merthyr Rising, believed filming was a reality after a contract was signed for a £4m investment.

Calon Films described the setback as "heartbreaking", claiming that the investor defaulted on his investment after signing a contract at the end of last year.

When approached by BBC Wales, the investor chose not to comment.

The proposed film is named Iniquity (Camwedd in Welsh) and will tell the story of Richard Lewis, better known as Dic Penderyn.

In 1831, riots broke out after ironworkers felt badly treated by their masters and families were unable to afford food.

A soldier was stabbed in the leg and despite not being able to identify his attacker, Lewis was charged with assault. He was executed at Cardiff gaol.

It is believed his final words were, "oh Lord, this is iniquity".

Stuart Broad, company director of Calon Films, described it as a "huge setback".

He said the investor signed a contract in November guaranteeing the £4m backing.

"It was a dream becoming a reality and I felt that all of the hard work, passion, endeavour and legacy of this project were coming to fruition. We did due diligence checks on this individual; nothing came back to suggest that we were dealing with anyone who was untoward," he said.

"When the first instalment of £500,000 didn't land in February, we were told, at that point, for the first time... that they were £36m in the red, to which our response was 'why is this only coming out now?'

"We were told by this individual that they were going to be releasing funds from offshore tax havens, so we had no reason to suspect the money wasn't going to be there."

The film will form part of a wider campaign to get Lewis posthumously pardoned.

The two other investors are still focused on making the film.

One of them, scientist and entrepreneur Sir Chris Evans, described the setback as "a big disappointment" but said he was keen to get the project back on track.

"There was fabulous momentum at the time of that commitment - hence a setback. But all great projects have setbacks and you just deal with them and crack on," he said.

"I grew up hearing of the Merthyr Uprising and the tragic fate of a man widely believed to have been wrongfully executed. That sense of injustice never leaves you.

"This project has the power to shine a long-overdue light on Dic Penderyn as Wales' first working-class martyr."

Brian Jones, the founder of Castell Howell foods, is also an investor in the film and described it as an "utter disappointment" when he heard the backer had withdrawn.

"It's happened at a time when Stuart had everything else in place," he said.

"I still believe it's important this film is made and a pardon is given to Richard Lewis.

"So hopefully others will come forward."

Jones added: "For me, it's the Welsh Braveheart and this could still be made by the people of Wales."

Giovanni Malacrino, who owns three restaurants in Cardiff, has supported the project by hosting three investment evenings.

"I invited movers and shakers to the evenings," said Malacrino, who said he had doubts at the start about the one investor.

"But by third event I thought this guy really is interested, he spent so much time convincing us he wanted to be the main investor and we all believed him and he had free meals and drinks and lots of attention.

"We were all very grateful and then this happens it's frustrating and you feel why waste people's time."