We Are Northern Lights film takes on blockbusters

The We Are Northern Lights documentary drew on crowdsourced film footage. Picture: Complimentary

Affectionately termed ‘The People’s Movie’, the film will take on star-studded behemoths including Iron Man 3 come May this year, after the Cineworld chain scheduled the feature to appear in a number of Scottish cinemas, including its busiest UK cinema in Glasgow’s Renfrew Street.

A Cineworld spokesperson said: “Cineworld is delighted to be screening We Are Northern Lights across five of its cinemas.

“It’s great to be able to support this unique Scottish project and we hope that the film is a great success.”

The initial project offered a snapshot of Scottish life in 2012 during the Year of Creative Scotland, and was funded with around £250,000 from the Creative Scotland arts quango, enjoying a gala premiere at the Glasgow Film Festival earlier this year.

Director Nick Higgins said he was ‘delighted’ at Cineworld picking We Are Northern Lights as its first ever Scottish documentary.

He added: “In comparison to the films they usually show we are a micro-budget independent, but what we offer is a unique viewing experience.

“As with the very origins of filmmaking, the film allows us to watch ourselves up on the big screen and that is a hugely moving, very funny and enormously enjoyable experience.

“It has something for everyone, so I hope people will bring their gran and the kids and take pleasure in watching what is in many ways a national home movie.”

Best of the rest

Ahead of the film’s multiplex launch, the ‘best of the rest’ of the footage that didn’t make the final cut has been released by the film’s makers.

Posting a teaser clip on YouTube, the NorthernLights account described it as “The ones that got away! A wee taste of a wonderful submission to www.wearenorthernlights.com that didnt make the final film.”

• We Are Northern Lights premieres on May 3