Iniquity Enters Pre-Production as Calls Grow for a Pardon for Dic Penderyn

Calon Films has announced that pre-production is underway on its debut feature film, Iniquity, a historical drama telling the true story of Dic Penderyn, regarded as Wales’ first working-class martyr, and the Merthyr Uprising of 1831. The announcement comes as a public petition continues to gather momentum, calling on King Charles III to grant a Royal Prerogative of Mercy — a posthumous pardon — to Richard Lewis, known as Dic Penderyn, who was executed following the uprising. The film aims to re-examine the events surrounding his conviction and their lasting significance in Welsh social and political history.

Over the past 18 months, the Calon Films team has been actively pitching the project to Welsh-centric, left-leaning, high-net-worth investors, securing backing from four Executive Producers. These include Brian Jones MBE of Castell Howell Foods, Professor Sir Christopher Evans, Paul Thandi CBE, and a fourth anonymous investor. With production scheduled to begin in May, Calon Films has said it intends to unite audiences across Wales behind the project, which it believes has the potential to mark a defining moment for the future of Welsh cinema.