The remote Isle of Tiree is set to transform into a cultural haven this September, as Scotland’s only annual film festival dedicated to female filmmakers returns for its next edition. Sea Change will run from September 19 to 21, featuring an eclectic programme of new films by women directors from around the world, all presented more than 80 miles from the nearest permanent cinema.
Kicking off the festival is The Rugged Isle: A Shetland Lyric, a 1934 “story documentary” capturing crofting life in Shetland by Scottish cinema trailblazer Jenny Gilbertson.
The carefully curated line-up includes Motherboard, BAFTA-winner Victoria Mapplebeck’s intimate portrait of solo motherhood filmed over 20 years using six iPhones, as well as Sister Midnight, a feminist punk black comedy by Karan Kandhari set on the streets of Mumbai. Berlin Film Festival Audience Award winner Deaf (Sorda) will also be screened, telling the moving story of a young Deaf woman and her hearing husband as they prepare for parenthood.
Audience members will not only enjoy film screenings but also be invited to take part in a variety of recreational activities, including sea swims, beach pilates, and ceilidh dancing classes scheduled between films.
Renowned Orkney author Amy Liptrot will introduce a special screening of The Outrun, while actress Kerry Fox, known for her breakout role in Shallow Grave, will reflect on her collaborations with leading female directors, such as An Angel At My Table and Fanny and Elvis. The programme will also shine a spotlight on Scottish women in animation.
Festival screenings will be held across local venues, including An Talla community hall, the 19th-century Hynish Centre, originally built to accommodate lighthouse construction workers, and Screen Argyll’s intimate screening room in Crossapol.
In the week leading up to the festival, Screen Argyll will present official Sea Change screenings of classic women-directed films in nearby islands including Seil, Mull and Coll.
Following the main event, audiences throughout the Hebrides and Argyll will have the chance to experience a touring programme of animations by Vicki and Selina, including stops with the iconic Screen Machine mobile cinema.
Before the festival officially opens to the public, leading female and non-binary professionals from the film industry will gather on Tiree for a series of discussions focused on the evolving nature of filmmaking.
The line-up of industry conversations features a masterclass from Kerry Fox on working with actors, insights from Glasgow Film CEO Allison Gardner on securing distribution, and animator Selina Wagner discussing the development of her debut feature film. Additional panels and sessions will be presented in partnership with BECTU, the Scottish Documentary Institute and Animation Scotland.
Jen Skinner, Sea Change’s artistic director and the founder of Screen Argyll, lives full-time on Tiree. Reflecting on this year’s edition, she said:
“We are so excited to share brilliant films and welcome wonderful people into our communities, for this year’s Sea Change. Tiree is the most westerly island in the inner Hebrides and the ideal place to ask, ‘what connects us?’
“Everyone is welcome to join us for a weekend of films, workshops, family activities and special guests! Local venues open their doors to filmmakers, film students and film lovers of all ages as we come together to watch, talk, walk, swim, make and share.”
