The Welsh Development Agency and the Arts Council of Wales(ACW) have announced plans to establish a new film agency, Ffilm Wales.

Theagency will operate under the Welsh Assembly Government's new CreativeIndustries initiative.

The film agency will aim to "ensure that Wales can be moreeffective in developing talent and in making feature films." It is expected tobe operational by April 1, 2006.

Currently, the ACW and Welsh Development Agency currentlyare recruiting board members for Ffilm Wales for an initial three-year period.

The agency will provide exhibition support, promote filmeducation, fund film festivals and work with young filmmakers trying to breakinto the industry.

Ffilm Wales is expected to distribute the Lottery funds forfilmmaking in Wales, currently distributed by the ACW.

The Wales Screen Commission,which promotes Wales as a shooting location, will be initially funded by thenew agency and eventually become a separate branch of the Creative IndustriesSupport Agency.

"The Creative industries Strategy gives us the opportunity toreshape support for film in Wales to allow us to compete more effectively onthe world stage. These arrangements will give more Welsh writers, directors andactors the opportunity to find an international audience for their talents,"said ACW CEO Peter Tyndall.