Festival showcases 1970s Hebridean film archive

  • Published
Still from Cinema Sgìre footageImage source, West Highland Free Press
Image caption,

The Cinema Sgìre community education film project recorded life in the Western Isles

A project digitising more than 100 videotapes produced by communities across the Western Isles will be showcased at the Hebrides International Film Festival.

The footage was shot between 1977 and 1981 by the Cinema Sgìre community education initiative to record life in the islands.

It was set up by local authority Comhairle nan Eilean Siar and the tapes have been held in the care of Museum nan Eilean in Stornoway.

They are now being digitised due to the obsolete and rare format of the films and also to make the footage accessible to the public.

Image source, Museum nan Eilean
Image caption,

Cinema Sgìre documented island communities in the 1970s and early 80s

Image source, Museum nan Eilean
Image caption,

The footage is now being digitised

Image source, Museum nan Eilean
Image caption,

The film project's tapes are being digitised

The Hebrides International Film Festival, taking place at various venues and finishes on Saturday, will also be screening a remastered version of The Shepherds of Berneray.

American filmmakers Allen Moore and Jack Shea made the documentary more than 40 years to document daily life in a traditional Hebridean shepherding and fishing community.

Gaelic and foreign language films will also be shown during the festival.

Image source, The Shepherds of Berneray
Image caption,

A remastered version of a documentary called The Shepherds of Berneray also features during the festival

Image source, The Shepherds of Berneray
Image caption,

The Shepherds of Berneray was made more than 40 years ago

All images are copyrighted.

Related topics