The film society will be launched in Penygroes

The big screen is set to return to a Gwynedd village after an absence of more than 40 years.

A community film society is being launched in Penygroes this week during the Nantlle Valley May Festival.

The society is celebrating the launch with news it has received a grant of almost �5,000 from Gwynedd council to help buy equipment.

Their first showing will be held in the village's Memorial Hall on Monday night, where the Welsh film The Mabinogi is screened.

The mini film festival will continue into the week with Ocean's Eleven at Llanllyfni Memorial Hall on Tuesday night and Shrek back at Penygroes on Wednesday night.

We will be showing a mixture of foreign, popular and Welsh language films Ben Gregory, Penygroes Film Society

Villagers remember a travelling film company holding regular screenings at the Penygroes Memorial Hall in the 1930s.

Later, a cinema opened on the main street but closed its doors for the last time in the 1960s.

One of the founders of the society is actress Judith Humphries who starred in the Oscar- nominated film, Hedd Wyn.

She said: "Films were shown on the same site more than 70 years ago by a travelling film company.

"Many people in the village remember seeing films there and it would be good to build on that local tradition."

Younger generation

Ben Gregory, another of the society's committee members, said: "We will be showing a mixture of foreign, popular and Welsh language films.

"There are many successful film societies in north Wales now, but few of them show Welsh language films.

"We will also show children's films in an attempt to draw the younger generation in."

Ms Humphries added that she hoped the society would provide a positive focus for villagers of all ages, particularly after some anti-social behaviour recently.

The council grant will be used to buy a projector and mobile screen so that the film evenings, which will begin in earnest in September, can be held in various venues.

The equipment will also be available for other local organisations to use.