BBC: Highland film gets success galore

7th June 2006

The Highlands and Islands were promoted amid the glamour of Cannes.

A Scottish film body has claimed that promoting the Highlands and Islands at the Cannes Film Festival had its most successful year yet.

Trish Shorthouse, of the Scottish Highlands and Islands Film Commission, said 200 guests attended a reception during the movies showcase on 22 May.

Ms Shorthouse said: "We pulled off the best Highland event in 12 years."

The function was themed on the classic Whisky Galore. Guests included representatives from 60 film companies.

The push was a joint effort by the film commission, Scottish Screen, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, VisitScotland and Movie Site.

Gaelic film

Ms Shorthouse said: "We pulled off the best Highland event in 12 years in Cannes thanks to all the business support.

"Throughout the week we received around 60 top film companies at the villa and provided them with information on filming in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland.

"We were focusing on promoting our Highland culture and not just resting on the laurels of our magnificent scenery."

She said 12 years of pushing the area at Cannes was paying dividends with the shooting of the first Gaelic feature film Seachd - The Inaccessible Pinnacle on the Isle of Skye.

Also an animated feature being filmed and based on Loch Ness.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/5053198.stm