Certainly not a non-event

I think it’s fantastic that a place as small as Shetland can generate such enthusiasm about the making and watching of a vast variety of quality films. The chance to view them publicly in the isles is a treat in itself, but the opportunity to have question and answer sessions with the film makers and actors is a treat beyond words.

Shetland’s fourth film festival was a huge success. I, and everyone I know who went along, enjoyed the experience over the whole weekend. Congratulations to all involved who helped organise the events, and more power to your elbows come next year when Mareel hosts it for the first time.

It’s fortunate I waited a week to submit my letter as I got the chance to read, with dismay, the letter by Colin Hunter. I wonder which events, within the film festival, he took part in, as everything I saw was of a high quality and very well received by everyone who participated.

The festival accomplished what is great about “cinema”, the public viewing of films promoting a true sense of community and bringing people together for a great day, or night, out. Worth it? Much more so than a bit of road improvement. It was certainly not a “non-event”.

Among many of the great films shown, from the entertaining Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll to the chilling Scars, one stood out more so than all the rest, Skeletons. This was an intelligent, well scripted, sad and hilariously funny film that, in my opinion is exactly the direction movies should be heading towards today. I feel privileged to be one of the few to have actually had the opportunity to see it. It is our present-day Withnail and I and hope it gets the circulation it deserves.

Improvements? Only that we were possibly too spoilt for choice, finding ourselves torn between certain events at Wordplay and the Shetland Blues Festival as well.

If it was possible to organise the three so that they did not overlap quite so much, us “arty fartys” would get to enjoy even more.

Jonathon Bulter
Meadows,
Tresta.