St Andrews Green Film Festival

Move over, Al Gore.


Sundance; Cannes; St Andrews? Our town may only be linked to film by Chariots of Fire and Hugh Grant’s nighttime escapades but we’ve been firmly put on the map thanks to Transition University of St Andrews, the group behind Scotland’s first weekend long environmental film festival which takes place 22nd-24th of November. The impressive festival lineup features 10 award-winning documentaries and films, including one UK Premiere, two Scottish Premieres and two director Q&As.

Organiser Paul White explained the inspiration behind the festival to The Stand: “Our aim from the start has been to provide the opportunity for as many people to come and enjoy these beautiful films but also to avoid films which paint a doom and gloom picture of the environment, such as An Inconvenient Truth. Instead we have chosen films which are, from a cinematography point of view, as stunning and inspiring as mainstream films are, while carrying an important message about environmental concerns or issues.” In other words, a little less The Day After Tomorrow and a little more uplifting.

The festival will be screening the UK premiere of the film MusicWood– a journey into the heart of Alaska, as owners of the Big Five Guitar Makers in America team up to prevent the deforestation of one of the last great native forest reserves left on the planet. The Scottish premiere- The Pipe– tells the story of the remote community of Rossport on the West Coast of Ireland. Their land, which has sustained generations of farmers and fishermen, has been handed on a plate to Shell who have found that the unique nature of their coastline is the perfect landfall for the Corrib Gas Pipeline. Naturally, drama ensues.
Director Andy Heathcote, will be on hand to present the premiere of The Moo Man, the remarkable story of a maverick farmer and his unruly cows on the marshes of the Pevensey Levels in Devon. The result is a laugh-out-loud, emotional roller-coaster which taps in to the lightness Paul and the team are aiming for.

There’s even a little bit of Matt Damon. The film festival will show case his fracking drama Promised Land. For those of you who, like me, still aren’t sure what fracking is this might be a good opportunity to learn something. I’m sure we’d all learn a little better if we had Matt Damon teaching us (Louise Richardson, take note).

If watching films and schmoozing with directors isn’t enough for you there are two workshops which are part of the festival, including an expert panel discussion regarding the Future of Renewable Energy in Scotland. Get your debate on, or just go along and learn a little something.

Full weekend tickets cost only £25 for Students, with day tickets £9 and evening Premiere screenings only £4. For more information, visit www.greenfilm.org.uk

 

 

Images courtesy of Paul White, Transition University of St Andrews.