Virtual Cinema

The IFB's Virtual Cinema short films are now available for viewing on Youtube. Go here to view them.

That's all.

Irish DVD update

I've not been keeping my finger on the pulse lately, so I must thank the nice young lady in HMV in Dublin who recently informed me that the Roddy Doyle adaptation THE SNAPPER is hitting R2 DVD at the end of this week. The film was previously only available on R1.

Similarly, Tom Collins' excellent KINGS has now been released on R2 in Ireland (it was also previously only available on R1 disc).

I also note that THE SECRET OF KELLS has been classified by the BBFC and when I saw the DVD on sale in Ireland it carries the BBFC logo (as well as the IFCO one) but still no sign of it here in the UK.

BAFTA Scotland 2009 nominations

The nominations for the 2009 BAFTA Scotland awards have been announced. In the film categories there are nominations for NEW TOWN KILLERS, IN THE LOOP, CRYING WITH LAUGHTER and WASTED. Some of the made-for-TV efforts include the odd comedy NEW TOWN, the amusing Burns comedy NO HOLDS BARD and BBC Alba's EILBHEAS. Short films include the award winning PETER IN RADIOLAND and the excellent LIFE OF A PIGEON.

See the BAFTA Scotland site for more details and the complete nominations.

Cork Film Fest 2009

The programme for this year's Cork Film Festival (kicking off in the later slot of November 1st this year) is now online. I notice that LITTLE RED HOODIE is there flying the flag for Scotland in the international shorts programme, but the Irish stuff can wait until I've got a bit of time to sift through it all since, as expected, there's a lot of it.

See full details on the festival's website.

Celtic Media Festival

The 31st Celtic Media Festival will take place on 21st-23rd April 2010. Taking place in a different location each year, the event celebrates the work of Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Cornwall and Brittany, and this year takes place in Newry, Northern Ireland.

Although primarily an industry event, there will be events and screenings open to the public. Keep an eye on the website for more information.

Films in Inverness

Some interesting films are showing next week at Eden Court, Inverness (I visited there for the first time recently - it's a nice venue).

If Irish is your thing, there's a screening of the sort-of-documentary-ish film MAN OF ARAN on the 21st October.

On the Scottish side of things, there are screenings of Michael Powell's terrific romance from Mull, I KNOW WHERE I'M GOING (20th Oct), CULLODEN (22nd) by the great Pete Watkins, and THE CHEVIOT, THE STAG AND THE BLACK, BLACK OIL (22nd), the adaptation of the passionate play, directed for the BBC by John Mackenzie, who also directed the Peter McDougall entries in the old Play For Today series.

Scottish & Irish DVD releases

Various sources report that 32A and YELLOW BITTERN will be available on DVD in Ireland on the 16th and 30th of October respectively. Both titles will be released in the UK on November 9th.

Meanwhile, Bill Forsyth's early film THAT SINKING FEELING is now available on DVD. Be warned that it is the international version, i.e. dubbed accents a la A SENSE OF FREEDOM, so while it might be an otherwise nice presentation purists will want to hang on to their VHS copy.

Coming up at the Cameo

Tuesday 13th October at the Cameo in Edinburgh sees a special silent cinema event (with live sound) which includes a couple of Scottish-related items. The same night also sees a double bill of films on the topic of mental health, with a number of similarly-themed short films showing a week later.

The 18th October sees a double bill of Danny Boyle's Edinburgh-based films SHALLOW GRAVE and TRAINSPOTTING, while the 15th November will see another outing for RED ROAD (as the second half of a double bill with FISH TANK).

Films on TV this week

Tonight sees ONE MORE KISS get an airing on BBC1 (12:10) - short notice, but to be honest it's not a great film (James Cosmo steals the show as usual), while BBC 1 (in Scotland at least) will be showing the Irish film SMALL ENGINE REPAIR on Monday 12th at 11:20pm. As always, check regional variations for details of whether or not they're showing in your neck of the woods.

For those of you with the movie channels from Sky, STONE OF DESTINY will begin airing on Sky Movies Premiere later this week.

Filmhouse in October

There are a few Scottish offerings in the latest programme from the Filmhouse in Edinburgh.

The short film HIDDEN GIFTS: THE MYSTERY OF ANGUS MCPHEE will be playing on a double bill with BORIS RYZHY on Monday 12th October as part of the Scottish Mental Health Arts & Film Festival.

KYOTO, MY MOTHER'S PLACE is a documentary screening in the Nagisa Oshima season, but it was apparently commissioned by BBC Scotland so I'll give it a mention here.

The "Made in Edinburgh" season returns with screenings on the 26th, 27th and 29th of FOLLOW THE MASTER by Edinburgh-based filmmaker Matt Hulse, together with one of hit short films GOD GIVES NUTS BUT HE DOES NOT CRACK THEM. Hulse will be appearing at the screening at 6:15pm on the 27th.

"Wean's World", Filmhouses's series of regular screenings for kids will include the Edinburgh-based GREYFRIARS BOBBY (the 2005 version which I discussed here recently), showing on the 11th and 12th.

GUDE CAUSE on the 4th of October (yep, that's tomorrow) is a trio of Scottish films being shown by Women's History Scotland. The films are RED SKIRTS ON CLYDESIDE (1984), ETHEL MOORHEAD (1995) and THE WORK THEY SAY IS MINE (1986).

As part of the Scottish Storytelling Festival, there will be a screening of the Play for Today broadcast from 1974 of THE CHEVIOT, THE STAG AND THE BLACK, BLACK OIL, which tells the story of how the Highlanders have been shafted from the clearances through to more recent events in the North Sea. This was shown a few years back as part of a seasons of Scottish & Irish films and sold out, so expect the same again. It's on Sunday 1st November and will be accompanied by a discussion on land ownership and the Scottish short film HALLAIG, based on the poem by Sorley MacLean.