Two aspiring north filmmakers have been nominated at high profile awards.
Hula, which stars Taggart actress Blythe Duff, is up for best drama at the prestigious Bafta Scotland New Talent Awards next month.
It was co-written and directed by Dornie-based filmmaker and crofter Robin Haig as part of her MFA in advanced film practice at Edinburgh Napier University.
And Portree youngster Murdo Macleod has been nominated for best factual film for Knox, which he produced through is company Trinity Digital.
The film tells the story of the influential Scottish reformer John Knox.
Ms Haig’s film Hula tells the story of Clara, an unhappy divorcee played by Ms Duff, who rediscovers the joy of life after opening a B&B in the Highlands.
It is Ms Haig’s third award nomination, having received two nods for her documentary Dear Dad about her reconciliation about her deer stalking father.
The film is due to have a premier at Edinburgh Filmhouse in the coming months and will screened at the Inverness Film Festival later in the year.
Ms Haig said: “The inspiration for Hula came from my observations of women in the rural community I grew up in and I set out to make a film about being middle-aged, divorced and long-term single in
the Highlands.
“I wanted to bring a protagonist to life who represented these women, and take the audience on a journey that was satisfying, uplifting and joyous.”
She added: “It was of course amazing to work with Blythe.
“Her performance is excellent – she brought the character of Clara off the page and made her so much more. Blythe spent a week in my home
village of Dornie while we shot the film. We were a relatively young crew and as a veteran actor she was very generous with us. It was a great great week.”
Knox producer Mr Macleod said: “”It is a great delight for me to see this film nominated for these awards, and especially to see the BAFTA
Scotland nomination. This film has been a huge undertaking, not just for me but for all the cast, crew and contributors who have given of their time to make this film possible. It is brilliant to see all that hard labour rewarded and recognised.
“John Knox was an outspoken Christian, and it is natural that his life and legacy will be of interest to Christians around the world. But beyond that, he was also a Scotsman. He cared passionately for his native
country and it is a joy for me to see that his story continues to interest and engage the people of Scotland today, regardless of their faith or religious beliefs.”
