Full Screenplay line-up announced

The special guests at the forthcoming Screenplay festival will include actors Brian Cox and Steven Robertson, both of whom appeared in the recent Shetland detective series on television.

Also appearing will be film directors Clio Barnard and Joanna Hogg and Welsh cult musician Gruff Rhys.

Acclaimed actor Cox, from Dundee, is well known for films such as Believe and Manhunter while Robertson starred in Inside I’m Dancing and Joyeux Noel.

In the Shetland series Robertson portrayed detective sergeant Sandy Wilson and Cox played the reclusive Magnus Bain.

British director Barnard is well known for films such as The Arbor and The Selfish Giant while Hogg has directed Exhibition and Archipelago.

The full programme for the annual event was released on Tuesday by Shetland Arts with all the festival events going on sale.

Curated by Mark Kermode, Linda Ruth Williams and Kathy Hubbard, the festival runs from 29th August to 7th September.

Now in its eighth year, Screenplay features over 95 events including 20 feature films, six documentary screenings, three workshops, a lecture, 11 question-and-answer sessions, two film quizzes, six education screenings, two outreach events, one gig, one wild party, loads of local films, and short films galore.

This is the first year that Screenplay and the annual book festival Wordplay are being held separately.

Hubbard said: “While there have been definite advantages to holding both festivals at the same time in previous years, the benefits of allowing them both to ‘breathe’ and expand will, we believe, ultimately afford our audiences more choice. Wordplay will be held later in the year, from 12th to 16th November.”

• More in The Shetland Times on Friday,.