Festival screening puts Obree movie on track

Published on 11/04/2007 11:52

A MOVIE charting the highs and lows of a world-beating Scottish cyclist has landed a distribution deal in America, thanks to its appearance at the Edinburgh International Film Festival.

The Flying Scotsman was chosen as the opening film of last year's festival, despite having been riddled with problems since its financing fell through in 2003.

The exposure may yet pay dividends for the unpaid cast and crew, who at one point threatened to disrupt the gala screening of the film with a protest.

The film, starring Johnny Lee Miller and Billy Boyd, tells how Ayrshire cyclist Graeme Obree claimed the world hour distance record on a home-built bike made using parts of a washing machine, and charts the rider's battles with depression.

Liquidators Tenon Recovery confirmed that a distribution deal had been struck with MGM to show the film in America, with its opening scheduled for later this month. And Optimum Releasing have agreed to release the film in the UK later this year.

Director Douglas Mackinnon said today: "The festival giving the film such a high profile was one of the most important things to happen in the film's life and in my career. I can't thank the fantastic festival staff enough."