Shetland Arts is delighted to announce that Jean Urquhart, MSP for the Highlands and Islands, has lodged a motion in the Scottish Parliament recognising the launch of Hansel of Film.
The motion reads: “The Parliament acknowledges the opening of the Hansel of Film 2012, a UK-wide relay stretching from Shetland to Southampton of screenings of short films as part of the London 2012 Festival, in Shetland on 10 June; understands that the films will be relayed between participating venues by runners who must use any method of transport available to get the films to the next scheduled venue on time; commends Shetland Arts on its initiative in putting together a successful bid to secure funding for what it considers this innovative project; welcomes the extensive and positive publicity for the Shetland arts community on the Hansel of Film’s official website, which, it considers, accurately describes the vibrant cultural life of the islands, and considers the diversity of festivals held in Shetland, covering all walks of cultural life and strands of music to be a leading example for Scotland.
The motion was supported by: Bill Kidd, Humza Yousaf, Rob Gibson, Annabelle Ewing, Sandra White, Jamie McGrigor, John Finnie, Mike MacKenzie, Joan McAlpine, Anne McTaggart, Stuart McMillan, Richard Lyle, Chic Brodie, Tavish Scott, Margaret Burgess, Colin Beattie and Gordon MacDonald.
Photo by Billy Fox Photography
Lisa Ward, Marketing Officer at Shetland Arts, said: "We are very pleased the launch of Hansel of Film has been recognised in the Scottish Parliament and would like to thank Jean Urquhart and those who supported the motion for commending Shetland Arts on the project. Hansel of Film is a truly unique project and will demonstrate Shetland’s artistic talent across the whole of the UK."She added: "2012 has seen a lot of national recognition of arts and culture in Shetland, including a motion in Parliament commending Shetland Arts and the RSNO on bringing a successful series of concerts to the Isles earlier this year, and we hope this will continue as we move into the latter part of 2012."
A Hansel of Film – Shetland to Southampton and Back is a relay of screenings of short films made by the public from all across the UK. It is part of the London 2012 Festival, a spectacular 12-week nationwide celebration from 21 June and running until 9 September 2012. The films are relayed between participating venues by ‘runners’; that is, individuals who employ whatever means of transport they can devise to get the right films to the right venue on time.
Hansel of Film launched on Sunday 10th June with a screening of excellent Shetland films at The Garrison Theatre. You can follow the relay online at http://hansel2012.org and follow Hansel of Film’s Facebook and Twitter for regular updates.
