Hedd Wyn

In the village of Trawsfynydd, Ellis Humphrey Evans writes poetry for local eisteddfodau under the bardic name Hedd Wyn. He dreams of one day being crowned Chief Bard at the National Eisteddfod. This early artistic life establishes his identity and aspirations before the war interrupts everything.

When Britain declares war on Germany in August 1914, several young men from Trawsfynydd join the army, but Ellis refuses to enlist. He confesses that he does not think he can kill anyone. The conflict threatens to upend his dream and his relationships.

On a train, Ellis meets Jini Owen, a young woman who admires his poetry. They fall deeply in love, and Ellis asks for her address and sends her a letter. This romance becomes a beacon amid the looming war.

An official draft board arrives at the Evans family farm and records Ellis and his brother Bob’s names. The board informs that one of their sons must enlist, despite their resistance from Ellis's mother. This decision casts a shadow over the family and sets the course for the coming enlistment.

Although Bob longs to enlist, Ellis refuses to permit it, fearing for Bob’s safety. Jini pleads with Ellis to let Bob go in his place, but Ellis says he could never live with himself if Bob were injured or killed. He then departs to join the Royal Welch Fusiliers in Liverpool.

Ellis undergoes training with the Royal Welch Fusiliers in Liverpool. After completing training, he is sent to the front in France, stepping into the brutal reality of war. His poetry remains a link to home as he faces the terrors of battle.

While serving at the front, Ellis pleads with his platoon commander to have his awdl Yr Arwr (The Hero) sent to the National Eisteddfod via the Army Postal Service. The request shows his unwavering desire to be judged for his poetry even amid war. The poem becomes a symbol of his dream clinging to life.

On 31 July 1917, the Royal Welch Fusiliers go over the top into the Battle of Passchendaele. Ellis witnesses fellow soldiers being shot and blown apart around him, then is wounded by shrapnel and collapses in no man's land. He is evacuated to an aid post, where he dies of his injuries.

Ellis's parents are devastated when they receive a telegram informing them of his death. The family grapples with loss while their son's legacy in poetry and memory continues to loom. The telegram marks the end of a personal era for the Evans family.

Back home, Jini weeps inconsolably as she reads Ellis's last letter, in which he proposes marriage. Her grief underscores the personal cost of the war on intimate relationships. The letter becomes a poignant reminder of a life cut short.

Soon after his death, the Evans family receives news that Ellis's submission has won the National Eisteddfod, and the chair awaits delivery to their farmhouse robed in black. The achievement clashes with the family's mourning, highlighting the tension between artistic victory and personal loss.

The National Eisteddfod chair is delivered to the Evans family farmhouse, a powerful symbol of Ellis's dream fulfilled even as he lies dead. The chair, robed in black, stands as a testament to Ellis's life and legacy in the world of Welsh poetry and national identity.