Film Festival takes over Aberfeldy

Nov 16 2012 by Perthshire Advertiser, Perthshire Advertiser

Film buffs are in for a treat this weekend when Heartland Film Society serve up a hearty offering of cinematic pleasure.

After missing last year, the Aberfeldy-based society has brought the annual movie fest back with a bang, choosing this year’s screenings around the theme of ‘Cinema on the Edge’.

The centrepiece is an event showcasing Scottish short films made in the last two years. Comically called the Palme-Dewar, after the local whisky distillery that sponsors it, the event will show 10-minute shorts from professional filmmakers and students. A public vote will decide the winner after seeing the entries tomorrow afternoon. Palme-Dewar web correspondence has been addressed to ‘Oscar’, but this turns out not to be the academy award, but Richard Bowden, a member of the Heartland committee.

Richard said: “I was really impressed by the 24 films that made it onto the long-list for this short film competition. We cut it back to eight and it will be interesting to see what the public pick. We have Norman McCandlish on the jury. He’s had a long career with the BBC and has been involved with the Palme-Dewars since the beginning.”

There’s a £250 cash prize and various whisky items on offer for the winning films at tomorrow’s showings at the Aberfeldy Distillery.

The Aberfeldy Film Festival begins today with a double bill starting with The Edge of the World, set in Shetland and inspired by the evacuation of St Kilda and other isolated communities. It’s followed by Return to the Edge of the World by the same director, Michael Powell, and sees him revisit the island of his original 1937 movie.

Children will be enchanted to see Waterhorse on Saturday morning at 10.30am. The PG-rated film is a fantasy about Angus who discovers a mysterious magical egg.

Showing in the Town Hall at 2pm is Scotland PA, a black comedy version of MacBeth, never on general release in Scotland.

Saturday’s programme finishes at 8pm with Hidden, starring Juliette Binoche. On Sunday the festival deliver a viewing at the Town Hall, including last year’s hit Life in a Day and Waste Land. For details, go to www.heartlandfilmsociety.org.uk