American director Keith Kopp talks about making his first feature film about a Welsh story

August 18, 2023 by
Translations is a Welsh romance drama that focuses on love between two people facing challenges with their mental health. Specifically the lead Stef facing her battle with Agoraphobia. A lot of my work is about how people deal and are affected by trauma. My writer Laurence Guy and I started thinking about shooting a feature film on our own after developing some large budget projects and the idea of a person captured by their past started to form. A lot came together once we found our lead actress Kate Morgan-Jones who graduated from the Royal Welsh College of Drama and Music not long before we made the film. 

When I first came to the United Kingdom, I was really taken in by Wales. The culture, landscape, language (and the kindness of the people) really made me fall in love with Wales. I knew one day the right film would be set there. I find it interesting how Irish and Scottish cultures are highlighted in America and how little Wales is mentioned. I thought it would be cool to bring Wales to the States. 

We shot the film in nine days, which is at a breakneck pace, the process was amazing but there was little room for mistakes. I have been making short films for the ten years prior and this alongside working as a crew member meant that I had enough experience to know how to push through and make the film happen even when the pressure was on. 

The response so far has been really positive and has received lots of well thought out reviews and has now built a small UK theatrical release. I think people felt how genuine our little romance drama film is and really have gone out of their way to help us. People like Michael Polish (Director of Big Sur, Norfolk and Twin Falls Idaho) have watched the film and offered quotes to help us get the word out.

Translations ask the question about what your mental health is worth to you? I made this film because I have all shared an experience of isolation and captivity like the character Stef and her journey of deciding whether or not to allow her fear to consume her or take the scarier path and come to terms with your fear.

We are bringing our Welsh film Translations is screening at Chapter Arts Centre (Cardiff) on Saturday 26th of August 5PM. TRANSLATIONS is a romance drama about love between two people facing challenges with their mental health. It stars some amazing up and coming talent Kate Morgan-Jones (The Pact, The Forfeit) and Alan Emrys (Young Wallander, Host). 

Saturday 26th of August 5PM – Cast and crew Q&A

Chapter Arts Centre

https://www.chapter.org/whats-on/film/translations-15-qa/9421

Thursday 31st of August 7PM

The Queens Hall (Narbeth, Wales) 

https://thequeenshall.org.uk/events/translations

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