Teyrnged i Hedd Wyn a thirwedd Trawsfynydd / Moving tribute to fallen poet Hedd Wyn

[This piece is written in Welsh and English - scroll down for English]

Ar ganmlwyddiant ei farwolaeth, dyma deyrnged arbennig i'r bardd Hedd Wyn gafodd ei ladd yn y Rhyfel Byd Cyntaf, chwech wythnos cyn i'w gerdd, Yr Arwr, ennill Cadair yr Eisteddfod.

> TAPIWCH YMA I WYLIO'R FIDEO 360° (Cymraeg) , dolen allanol

Trwy ddefnyddio dulliau sain arloesol a lluniau 360° trawiadol, mae'r fideo yma yn mynd â'r gwyliwr yn syth i lethrau'r mynyddoedd yn ardal Trawsfynydd, lle troediodd Hedd Wyn. Mae'r fideo'n seiliedig ar 'Englynion Coffa Hedd Wyn' gan R Williams Parry, ac wedi ei leisio gan yr actor Julian Lewis Jones. Cyfansoddwyd y gerddoriaeth yn arbennig gan Cian Ciarán o'r Super Furry Animals.

Mae'r ffilm wedi ei chynllunio i gael ei gwylio drwy benwisg rhith wirionedd (VR) a chlustffonau, ond mae'n gweithio ar unrhyw ddyfais. Symudwch eich ffôn, neu lusgwch y llygoden i edrych o gwmpas. Trowch y sain ymlaen i gael y profiad gorau.

Hedd Wyn, one of the most iconic figures in Welsh literature, was killed on the Western Front on 31 July 1917. This remarkably poignant 360° immersive video marks the centenary of his death.

> TAP HERE TO PLAY THE 360° VIDEO (English) , dolen allanol

The film brings together some of the very latest film-making technology to create a touching tribute to the tragic events which first entered Welsh folklore one hundred years ago.

This immersive experience uses binaural sound and creative 360° footage to transport the viewer to 'Yr Ysgwrn', the humble hill farm in Snowdonia, where Hedd Wyn grew up.

The lowly mountain landscape remains largely unchanged and the pervading sense of peace lies in stark contrast to the carnage of the battlefield.

This is the scenery that inspired Hedd Wyn, this is the world he so reluctantly left behind and this is your turn to tread in his footsteps.

The tribute to Hedd Wyn features the poem 'Englynion Coffa Hedd Wyn', written by his friend and fellow poet R Williams Parry, dolen allanol in 1924, and more recently translated to English by American poet Louis Flint Ceci.

The words are read by actor Julian Lewis Jones and the soundtrack was specially composed by Cian Ciarán, of Super Furry Animals.

The film is designed to be viewed through a VR headset with headphones to fully immerse the viewer in the world it evokes, but will work on all devices. Tilt your phone, or on desktop drag your mouse, and turn on your sound to experience it best.

Who was Hedd Wyn?

Born in 1887, Ellis Humphrey Evans grew up on a hill farm above the village of Trawsfynydd in Gwynedd. He was a shepherd and a gifted wordsmith who penned prize winning poetry and became better known by his bardic name, Hedd Wyn.

What happened to him?

A reluctant soldier, Hedd Wyn was conscripted into the army in 1916 and in June 1917 he was sent to the Western front. He was killed on the first day of the Battle of Passchendaele on 31 July 1917.

Why did he become an icon?

Six weeks later, Hedd Wyn was posthumously awarded the bardic chair at the National Eisteddfod of Wales for his poem Yr Arwr (The Hero). It was announced to a grieving nation that the winning poet was absent because he had been killed in action. The empty chair was draped in black cloth and became a symbol for the thousands of other empty chairs in houses across Wales.

The film will also be shown at the BBC Cymru Wales stand at the National Eisteddfod of Wales on Anglesey from 5-12 August.