QUESTIONS over the future of the North Sea oil industry are to be raised in a new documentary which will be premiered in Scotland next month.
The Oil Machine by Edinburgh-based filmmaker Emma Davie will open the Central Scotland Documentary Festival in Stirling, the birthplace of the “father of documentary” John Grierson.
The film explores the conflicting imperatives around North Sea oil and asks how the industry can be dismantled or repurposed. The screening will be followed by a question and answer session with Davie.
Along with The Oil Machine’s Scottish premiere, there are eight other Scottish premieres at the festival, one world premiere, two European premieres and five UK premieres after submissions were received from 21 countries.
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The world premiere is The Ballad of Bessie May by last year’s Festival Jury Award winner Oliver Guy-Watkins. This is an explorative journey following the Live Action Role-Playing community.
European premieres include Taimoor Choudhry’s Real Fur, an eye-opening undercover investigation about the true cost of the fur farming industry in Canada, and No One Told Me, a raw and honest observational documentary about the postpartum experience. Incredibly intimate moments show the highs and lows encountered by parents, Elise and Marc, as they adapt to life with a baby.
Receiving its Scottish premiere is Retrograde, a film by Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning director Matthew Heineman, which captures the final nine months of America’s 20-year war in Afghanistan from the perspectives of the last US Special Forces units deployed, a young Afghan general, and the civilians desperately attempting to flee as the country collapses.
Another highlight is Oscar-nominated Brett Morgan’s new documentary, Moonage Daydream, a genre-defying cinematic experience based on David Bowie, one of the most iconic rock stars of all time. This showing will be a standing, immersive screening with a light show to give a full gig experience on the stage of Macrobert’s Mainhouse.
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Head curator Grahame Reid said: “We are thrilled to bring this programme of innovatively told stories from both award-winning filmmakers and inspiring new filmmaking talent to audiences this year.
“Since opening up our festival submissions last year, it has been a joy to see so many bold and exciting pieces of work coming in from both Scotland and around the world.
“This year represents our most wide-ranging programme to date and we are excited to continue building what the festival can be and to welcome new audiences joining us on our journey.”
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