Scotland At The Movies

20 March 2009, 12:22

The Glasgow Film Festival director Allan Hunter wants to bring forward new Scottish talent to boost the Scottish Film Industry.

He said in an interview with STV that the only way to move the Scottish Film Industry forward is to celebrate unknown talent.

"To help the Scottish film industry today, I think you’d be looking for that next wave or that next generation who are the equivalents of Bill Forsyth or Charlie Gormley who have their own distinctive voice, he said.

The Glasgow Film Festival, which celebrated five years in February, highlighted new Scottish talent by screening films by virtually unknown directors during the event.

He continued: "It’s always about investing in talent and just giving people that chance to bring their stories to an audience."

GFF also celebrated the 25th anniversary of Comfort and Joy with a special sold-out screening at the Mitchell Theatre.

He said that it's the likes of Bill Forsyth, who wrote and directed Comfort and Joy that is responsible for bringing the contemporary film industry back to Scotland.

"Everyone today, whether it’s that generation of Gillies Mackinnon or Michael Caton-Jones, references a Bill Forsyth film or some of the films that were made in the eighties as the thing that made them realise 'I could be making films in Scotland... it’s not impossible'."

Last updated: 01 April 2009, 11:53