ReelScotland round-up 🎬 May 2024
Trainspotting, Shallow Grave and Rebus return
Welcome to the ReelScotland round-up, a look at what’s happening in Scottish film and TV. If you work in the Scottish screen sector or enjoy films and TV with a Scottish connection, this is for you.
🍿 Saturday 18th May marked 85 years since the Cosmo cinema (now the GFT) first opened its doors on Rose Street in Glasgow, leading Glasgow Times to look back at some long-gone cinemas. I’d also recommend heading over to the Scottish Cinemas and Theatres website for an even deeper dive into Glasgow’s cinema history, with details on dozens of old picture houses around the city.
📽️ It was announced this week that the Oban Phoenix cinema has closed due to “unforeseen circumstances”, with the Press & Journal noting that the move came just a few months after the cinema’s opening hours were reduced. Another paywalled news item suggests the cinema has gone into administration.
🏗️ As highlighted in the Edinburgh Culture Minute, the crowdfunder for Edinburgh’s Filmhouse has passed £300,000, while plans for refurbishment - which should bring a new Screen 4 and modern seating - are now on the council’s planning portal. Edinburgh Live goes into a bit more detail.
📽️ Staying in Edinburgh, there’s an ongoing battle to preserve Portobello's historic Art Deco George Cinema, as covered by Edinburgh Reporter. A group of locals are campaigning to save the listed building from dilapidation and potential demolition. A silent protest took place at the cinema site over the weekend, urging the owner, Buckley Building Ltd, to clean up the area. For more on the silent protest, read the full story here.
🎞️ The funeral of actor Brian McCardie took place last week in Lanark, following his death earlier in the month at the age of just 59. Best known in recent years for his appearance in Line of Duty, McCardie starred in Hollywood films such as Rob Roy and Speed 2: Cruise Control, before heading back to Scotland - here’s Brian Pendreigh’s obituary for McCardie in The Scotsman.
🎭 BBC Comedy, BBC Scotland, and Screen Scotland are teaming up to fund a new narrative comedy pilot. With placements for Development Producers and opportunities for Scottish talent, the initiative seeks to bolster the country's comedic landscape and create more opportunities for local writers and performers.
🎤 Edinburgh’s Fringe Society and TV Foundation are teaming up to discover the next generation of comedic talent, reports Deadline. Backed by Universal Studio Group, this initiative will feature comedy showcases during this year’s Edinburgh TV Festival, offering six stand-ups and six scripted show creators the chance to perform and receive a full pass to the event.
🎥 The 48 Hour Film Project will hold its inaugural competition in Inverness this July, reports The Inverness Courier. Partnering with Eden Court and backed by Screen Scotland, the event aims to attract filmmakers from across Scotland and beyond to create short films within a tight 48-hour window. Registration is open at 48hourfilm.com/inverness
🎥. Creative Wales, Screen Scotland, and Northern Ireland Screen have welcomed Lord Parkinson's acknowledgement of concerns regarding Channel 4's "out of England" quota. In a statement on the Screen Scotland website, the screen agencies argue that the current 9% quota does not reflect the UK population distribution and urge Ofcom to raise it to 16%+ with individual quotas for each nation.
🧏 A year-long programme designed to “kickstart an increase in employment, representation and elevation of deaf, disabled and/or neurodivergent (DDN) talent across film and TV in Scotland” has been launched. It will be delivered by BAFTA award-winning disabled-led organisation TripleC, screen practitioner Sara Harkins and an expert steering group of Scotland-based creatives.
🎭 The Border Telegraph reports that director Kirk Jones (Waking Ned and Nanny McPhee) and children's casting director Pippa Hall are searching for the lead in their next film in Scotland. They’re looking for boys aged 11-13 with a Scottish accent and hazel, green, or brown eyes, with filming scheduled from July 15 to August 23.
📺 Nest Productions, known for shows like Made in Chelsea and Celebs Go Dating, has launched a new office in Glasgow. Televisual notes that co-founder Derek Drennan has returned to his hometown to head the Scottish branch, aiming to support local production companies and attract international projects. Drennan highlighted the company's commitment to fostering local talent and contributing to Scotland’s production sector.
🎬 Leonie Rae Gasson has defended her explicit arts project, Rein, amidst controversy over its public funding, asserting it has been misunderstood and is not intended to elicit sexual arousal. Sky News reports that Creative Scotland withdrew £84,555 in funding after determining the inclusion of real sex scenes breached contract conditions, though Gasson maintains the project was transparent and intended as an artistic exploration of sexuality.
🎬 The Ayrshire Film Company has been awarded £85,970 from the National Lottery Community Fund's Young Start scheme to support young people in the creative industries. Ross Carswell, a 27-year-old mentor with the company, told the Cumnock Chronicle how the film club has opened doors for him, allowing him to develop media skills and work on his film about dementia. Funding will help young people in Ayrshire gain new skills and build community connections.
🎥 The Skinny takes a look at Edinburgh-based filmmaker Duncan Cowles' short films ahead of the premiere of his debut feature Silent Men at Sheffield Doc/Fest.
📚 With Danny Boyle’s Trainspotting back in British cinemas with a new 4K release, the BFI takes a look at some of the cinematic adaptations of Scottish novels that have captivated audiences over the years, including Poor Things, Morven Callar and Whisky Galore!
🍌 The BFI spoke to Murray Grigor, director of the recently re-released Billy Connolly fly-on-the-wall documentary film, Big Banana Feet.
🔪 Also back in cinemas for its 30th anniversary is Shallow Grave - Barry Didcock at The Herald Magazine goes into some detail on its production and subsequent popularity in this new article.
📺 Rebus, the latest adaption of Ian Rankin’s John Rebus novels is now on BBC iPlayer, starring Richard Rankin as the Edinburgh detective.
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