COMING to a big screen near you soon is a celebration of one of the coolest film genres around.

Fishguard is to host the UK’s first film festival dedicated to Spaghetti Westerns.

Severn classic and cult movies will be screened in their original 35mm format in Theatr Gwaun over the weekend of February 7 to 9.

Films being shown will include the original version of Django, a movie banned in this country until 1993.

There will also be a Fishguard Spaghetti Western Film Festival Fringe featuring an exhibition of Spaghetti Western poster art, an Ennio Morricone music night at Peppers, talks from experts of the genre, an epic quiz and a western themed after-movie party at Ffwrn.

Ness Davies from Theatr Gwaun said: “We wanted to do something that would benefit the whole town and give people a reason to come to Fishguard in February, a quiet winter month, and have a great time. A Spaghetti Western Film Festival in the Wild West seemed perfect!

"The people of Fishguard really get behind community events and already there’s a buzz about this.”

Helping support the event is Xanadu, best known in Wales for the Porthcawl Elvis Festival and in Ireland for Tedfest, the phenomenally successful homage to Father Ted.

Peter Phillips, from Xanadu, said: "Spaghetti Westerns are still hugely popular and we were looking at putting this festival together either in Texas or Rome, the two logical locations.

"However Theatr Gwaun contacted us to look at event ideas and we thought why not stage it there.

"After all you cannot get anymore west than Fishguard. This year is a toe in the water. I think the event has potential to grow as there is not a film festival dedicated to this genre in the UK."

For more details about the festival and the films being shown go to www.spagwestfest.co.uk