We Are Northern Lights film tours Scotland

A crowd-sourced film, said to be “Scotland’s own home movie” is going on tour across Scotland, to celebrate 15 years of the mobile cinema scheme, Screen Machine.
The Screen Machine will bring the film to rural communities. Picture: Ian RutherfordThe Screen Machine will bring the film to rural communities. Picture: Ian Rutherford
The Screen Machine will bring the film to rural communities. Picture: Ian Rutherford

The documentary, which has wowed critics at screenings in Glasgow and New York, offers a snapshot of the lives of every day Scots, and is pieced together by Creative Director, Nick Higgins.

The project began as part of the Year of Creative Scotland 2012. The people of Scotland were asked to capture their unique perspectives on film and submit them for inclusion. The resulting feature film shows a sweeping vision of the Scots and Scotland.

Hide Ad

And the 80-seater Screen Machine will bring the film to a number of rural communities, allowing them to take part in the next phase of the project.

The Screen Machine will bring the film to rural communities. Picture: Ian RutherfordThe Screen Machine will bring the film to rural communities. Picture: Ian Rutherford
The Screen Machine will bring the film to rural communities. Picture: Ian Rutherford

At the screenings in Lochcarron, Bettyhill, Lochinver, Lairg and the Isle of Eigg, a Flip Video Camera will be given out to encourage another round of video portrait which will be screened in 2014 for the Year of Homecoming.

Higgins said: “Rural communities across Scotland have been asking us to bring the film to them and we are delighted to be able to do this as part of the fifteen-year anniversary celebrations of the brilliant Screen Machine.

“We are also excited to be collaborating with the Screen Machine on the re-opening of Northern Lights submissions to allow people inspired by the huge success of the feature film to respond with footage of their Scotland that we will exhibit online and at future events in 2014.”

Screen Machine 15 Project Co-ordinator, Jonathan Melville said: “We’ll be marking the 15th anniversary of the Screen Machine service with a series of special film screenings and events.

“We’re delighted that our first title is something as unashamedly Scottish as We Are Northern Lights. We also hope to see some of our audience members featuring in the next phase of the project.”

Hide Ad

Iain Munro, Acting CEO, Creative Scotland, said: “It’s fantastic news that rural communities across Scotland without access to a cinema will now have the opportunity to enjoy We Are Northern Lights as part of Screen Machine’s 15th anniversary celebrations.

“It continues a fascinating journey for the film - which has so far taken in screenings at Glasgow Film Festival, in New York, and unprecedented showings for a micro-budget film at Cineworld – as well as continuing Screen Machine’s tradition of bringing film in innovative ways to rural audiences. We look forward to Screen Machine’s 15th anniversary programme being announced in full.”

Tour dates

Lochcarron: 7 June, 8.30pm

Bettyhill: 22 June, 8.30pm

Lochinver: 27 June, 8.30pm

Lairg: 29 June, 8.30pm

Eigg: 18 July, 5.30pm