The Cymru Premier is proud to present The Nerve, a short film that unveils the new identity for the top-flight of Welsh men’s domestic football.
Starring BAFTA Cymru winner Owen Teale (Game of Thrones, Line of Duty) and Owain Huw (Pobol y Cwm, Masters of the Air), The Nerve is framed around two old friends – retired steelworker Huw, and Rhys, who died in a colliery accident aged 27 – with very different outlooks. One sees limitations. The other sees possibilities. Their conversation becomes a reflection of a wider Welsh mindset; the tension between accepting what is and believing in what could be.
The film challenges perceptions of not only the Cymru Premier, but of Wales itself. It is about belief. Belief that communities can achieve things they were never expected to achieve. Belief that local clubs can compete on a European stage. Belief that Welsh football can stand proudly in its own identity rather than comparing itself to others.
Written and directed by Jordan Thorne, Creative Director at CREO, production of The Nerve was orchestrated by Clear Cut Social, with cinematography led by Tomos Evans and Rhodri Pearce, lighting by Liam O’Brien and sound by Jordan Beale.
An importance was placed on ensuring that the film felt authentic, ambitious and unmistakably Welsh – much like the new Cymru Premier identity.
The majority of the film was shot on location at Station Café in Treorchy, which is sadly now closed but was brought back to life for one day and filled once again with conversation, laughter and the sense of community that inspired so much of the film’s message.
The set included countless Easter eggs for supporters to discover, from product labels inspired by figures from Welsh football to newspaper headlines, posters and subtle references celebrating players, managers and moments from the Cymru Premier’s history.
Beyond the café, filming took place at Ocean Park Arena in Cardiff, working with Cymru Premier Under 19 players to create a controlled environment where every shadow, beam of light and movement could be carefully crafted. Match action was captured at Barry Town United’s Jenner Park, one of Welsh football’s most iconic grounds, helping connect the film to the communities and venues that give the league its character. As The Nerve reaches its climax, a backing track by Cwmdare Male Voice Choir – recorded for the film – builds the drama.
“It was an honour to work on a script of such rigour and belief, and a joy to form the words,” Owen Teale said. “A great hwyl was had with the team and the Bracchi setting made it incredibly atmospheric.”
Jordan Thorne, writer and director of The Nerve, said: “Too often, Wales is presented through familiar clichés. Mountains. Sheep. Coastlines. Beautiful as they are, they only tell part of the story. We wanted to create something that reflected a different Wales; a modern, confident nation powered by the strength of its communities, the character of its people and the belief they have in themselves. Rather than approaching Wales like a gift shop, we wanted to explore the power of its voice.
“Every decision, from the writing and locations to the music and performances, was designed to feel authentic to the people who live and breathe the game. We wanted to capture the grit, humour, resilience and optimism that exists across Welsh football, and to tell that story through people rather than spectacle.
“One of the defining lines in the film is: ‘Faith. And the rest follows’. In many ways, that became the guiding thought behind the entire project. Before progress comes belief. Before achievement comes courage. Before breakthrough comes the nerve to imagine something greater. The Nerve asks a simple question: what happens when somebody dares to believe?”
Watch The Nerve across the Cymru Leagues social media channels, as part of the leagues’ new identity reveal.
