THE SCOTSMAN: Another Inaccessible Pinnacle Conquered?

31st March 2007

The Celtic Media Festival was on last week in Aros, Portree, Isle of Skye. Although no Gaelic television programme received an award, BBC Radio nan Gaidheal received an award for the best radio station and Mary Ann Kennedy won the award for the best radio personality.

For those who were present though, the prizes were not the most interesting part of the festival but the opportunity to see a new film. Seachd – The Inaccessible Pinnacle is the first Gaelic film of the 21st century.

Imagine that. A complete film in Gaelic, a hour and a half duration. Who would have expected it?

I can’t say when and where the general public will see it (although it would be interesting to see a Gaelic film on the Screen Machine which travels throughout the Highlands and Islands), but I must say it is an excellent film.

The majority of the film is shot on the Isle of Skye. It is about a young boy, Angus, (played by Pàdruig Morrison), and the stories his grandfather (Aonghas Pàdraig Campbell), used to tell him. These stories are about the truth when the truth is sometimes hard to bear.

This is not a light hearted film but is meaningful and substantial, without being too dark. You could watch it three or four times and still see something new each time. It is obvious that a lot of thought and work went into it. And Pàdruig Morrison is to be praised for his performance in the leading role.

I hope everybody has an opportunity to see the film soon. There is more information available on www.seachd.com.

Who knows – we might see Seachd on the new digitial channel when it is launched later this year, It is now definite that the channel will happen as Patricia Ferguson has said that the Scottish Executive are giving an extra £3m to Seirbheis nam Meadhanan Gàidhlig. The budget for Gaelic television is now over £12m. That is another Inaccessible Pinnacle that has, almost, been conquered.

By James Mac a' Bhreatannaich

Binnean do-ruigsinneach eile ga ruighinn?

RÈ na seachdain seo, tha Fèis nam Meadhanan Ceilteach air a bhith a' gabhail àite ann an Àros ann am Port Rìgh anns an Eilean Sgitheanach. Ged nach d'fhuair prògram telebhisean Gàidhlig duais am-bliadhna, fhuair BBC Radio nan Gaidheal an duais air son stèisean rèidio na bliadhna 's fhuair Màiri Anna NicUalraig an duais air son neach-aithris/pearsa as fheàrr air an rèidio.

Dhaibhsan a bha an làthair, ge-tà, cha b'e an rud as inntinniche cò a bhuannaich duaisean na fèise ach gun robh cothrom aca film ùr fhaicinn. Se Seachd - The Inaccessible Pinnacle a' chiad fhilm Gàidhlig san 21mh linn.

Smaointich air a-sin. Film gu tur anns a' Ghàidhlig, uair gu leth dheth. Cò shaoileadh gum faiceamaid a leithid?

Chan fhaod mi a ràdh fhathast cuin agus ciamar a chì a' mhòr-shluagh e (ged a bhiodh e inntinneach film Gàidhlig fhaicinn anns an Screen Machine a tha a' siubhal mun cuairt na Gaidhealtachd 's nan eilean), ach their mi gur e film sàr-mhath a th' ann.

Tha e air a shuidheachadh cha mhòr gu tur san Eilean Sgitheanach. Tha e mu dheidhinn balach òg, Aonghas (air a chluich le Pàdruig Moireasdan), agus na sgeulachdan a bhiodh a sheanair (air a chluich le Aonghas Pàdraig Caimbeul) ag innse dha. Tha e mu dheidhinn mar a tha sgeulachdan ag innse fìrinn dhuinn an uair a tha an fhìrinn math dh'fhaodte doirbh a cluinntinn.

Chan e film aotrom a th' ann ach obair a tha brìoghmhor, susbainteach gun a bhith ro dhorcha. Dh'fhaodadh tu coimhead air trì no ceithir tursan agus bhiodh tu fhathast a' lorg rudeigin nach do mhothaich thu roimhe. Tha e follaiseach gun deach uidhir de smuain 's de dh'obair a-steach ann. Agus tha Pàdruig Moireasdan òg ri mholadh airson an dòigh sa bheil e a' cluich a' phrìomh phàirt.

Tha mi an dòchas gum bi an cothrom aig a h-uile duine am film fhaicinn ann an ùine gun a bhith fada. Gheibhear barrachd fiosrachaidh mu dheidhinn aig www.Seachd.com.

Cò aig a bheil fios - math dh'fhaoidte gu faic sinn Seachd air an t-sianal ùr didsiteach Ghàidhlig nuair a thòisicheas e nas anmoiche sa bhliadhna. Tha e a-nis cinnteach gun tèid an sianal air adhart an dèidh do Phatricia NicFhearghais a ràdh gum bi Riaghaltas na h-Alba a' toirt £3 millean a bharrachd do Sheirbheis nam Meadhanan Gàidhlig. Tha sin a' ciallachadh gum bi tuilleadh 's £12 millean ann airson telebhisean Gàidhlig bho seo a-mach. Sin Binnean Do-Ruigsinneach eile a tha sinn a-nis, cha mhòr, air ruighinn.

Le Seamus Mac a' Bhreatannaich

http://news.scotsman.com/gaelic.cfm?id=498942007