500 dancers take part in Sunshine on Leith filming

The mammoth cast danced and sung along to Proclaimers hit 500 miles in the filming of a scene for the film which is inspired by hits of the Leith band

The cast and crew, including renowned producer Andrew Macdonald, started filming in Edinburgh last November although the bulk of location filming took place in Glasgow. The film will feature adaptations of many of the most popular songs of Craig and Charlie Reid, including Throw the ‘R’ Away and I’m On My Way.

Macdonald, whose best-known films include Trainspotting, 28 Days Later and Shallow Grave, said the screenplay had been specially adapted from his own stage musical, which was a huge hit for the Dundee rep theatre company five years ago.

Veteran screen stars Peter Mullan and Jane Horrocks will be joined by rising talent like George McKay, Kevin Guthrie, Antonia Thomas and Freya Mavor in the cast.

Rosie Ellison, Film Manager at Marketing Edinburgh, which helped to locate the film, said:

“Sunshine on Leith is a tremendously exciting production and everyone looked as if they were having a fantastic time today as the sun - very aptly - shone down upon them. There’s a huge amount of work and months of planning that goes into organising something like this and we were delighted to work with the filmmakers to make sure everything went without a hitch.

“Edinburgh’s at the very heart of this film and so we wanted to help them create something spectacular in one of the city’s most iconic locations - and it definitely was spectacular. The reaction from the public was great - people were gobsmacked at what was happening around them. We can’t wait to see it on the big screen.”

Sunshine on Leith, which tells of the trials and tribulations of two young squaddies on their return to Edinburgh, is being made by Glasgow-based producers Black Camel Pictures and Macdonald’s own production company, DNA, with backing from both the BBC and Creative Scotland.

• Theatre review: Sunshine on Leith