Get in a flap at Eigg’s first-ever film festival

The Isle of Eigg is to hold its first-ever film festival in April.

The programme is all about birds; bird migration and behaviour, habitats, their relationship with humans and the impact we have on their environment and future survival.

The festival programme of 10 feature films and documentaries runs from Friday 17 to Monday 20 April. It includes a late-night screening of Hitchcock’s The Birds and opens with the award-winning The Messenger, which chronicles the mass depletion of songbirds across continents and the people who are trying to save them.

Old favourites like Chicken Run and the archive film The Corncrake and the Croft are joined by new films, including Birds of Passage from France and The Eagle Huntress from Kazakhstan. The short film programme includes animation and films on every aspect of bird life, from murmuration to migration

Dr Kenny Taylor will give a talk on how seabirds’ global travels bring them back home to Eigg, while wildlife cameraman Jim Manthorpe and sound recordist Pete Smith will talk about, and show films, they’ve made for the BBC, National Geographic, C4 and others.

A bird-watching sail and walks series, sound recording workshop, a concert by Jenny Sturgeon and a special Bird Bubble Bath DJ set from Eigg’s very own The Pictish Trail with CineMor77’s bird projections, complete the festival.

The event will take place in Eigg’s Community Hall and in CineMor77’s custom-built cinema yurt erected in the Lodge Gardens next door.

Festival co-ordinator Lucy Conway said: ‘Adding a film festival to Eigg’s year-round calendar of events is very exciting. Eigg has many iconic bird species is as a must-visit place for birdwatchers.

‘Eigg islanders love birds and understand visiting birdwatchers’ fascination. We’re really looking forward to enjoying four days sharing that passion through moving image, guided walks, talks, workshops and more.‘

Robert Livingston, Director, Regional Screen Scotland said: ‘Regional Screen Scotland has long-standing links with Eigg, through the visits of our Screen Machine mobile cinema, and so we’re delighted that we have been able to support the very first Eigg Film Festival through our Local Film Festival Challenge Fund, made possible by funding from Creative Scotland.

For full details of all films and activities, plus tickets, visit www.eiggfilmfestival.com.

• Click HERE to read more culture news and features from Scottish Field