ABERFELDY FILM FESTIVAL 2009
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"Cinema in the Castle"
The third Heartland Film Society film festival celebrated films that would be fantastic to watch in a castle. Everyone enjoyed a brilliant selection of films in the amazing setting of Castle Menzies in Weem, near Aberfeldy - from romance to comedy, horror to adventure - topped off with a ceilidh - it was an excellent couple of days.
The film festival also incorporated the Palme Dewar award - Scotland’s brand new open film competition. In previous years, the Society has shown a selection of short films from the Scottish Screen annual selection and the audience has voted for their favourite film. In 2009 we launched an open competition for Scotland’s film makers and for short films made in Scotland. The shortlisted films were shown on Saturday 7th November at 5pm at Dewars World of Whisky. This year’s winner was Chris Dunne (ZMO productions) for his short film “Dark Places in the Sunshine”. |
 Aberfeldy Film Festival 2009 |
FESTIVAL LAUNCH: Friday 6th November 20097.30pm Dewar Room, Castle Menzies, Weem
7.45-9.15pm
Talk and film presentation on David Douglas, given by Syd House (Conservator, Forestry Commission Scotland)Free glass of wine & bar open |
 Norman McCandlish (left) and Syd House |
SATURDAY 7th November 2009Saturday 13th November: Castle Menzies
£5 per film: A day of the best stories films can tell... |
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10.30am-12.00pm Conquest of the South Pole
Director - Gillies MacKinnon 1988, UK, English, 92 minutes 1980s Leith and five unemployed young men, inspired by a copy of Roald Amundsen's diary and a charismatic leader, recreate his historic journey to the South Pole. Their challenges include finding huskies and overcoming glaciers in the docks and streets of Leith. This is MacKinnon’s first feature film and he manages to inject their potentially futile travels through the imagination with both vigour and hope. Average bean score: 3.30 out of 4 |
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10.30am-12.00pm Stone of Destiny
Director - Charles Martin Smith 2008, UK, English, 96 minutes The Stone of Destiny retells the fascinating and true story of four young Glaswegian students who, in 1951, outwitted the British authorities in their successful attempt to take back the Stone of Scone - a beloved symbol of Scottish pride, back to its country of origin. Average bean score: 3.14 out of 4 |
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2.00pm-3.30pm Orlando
Director - Sally Potter 1992, UK, English, Certificate PG, 93 minutes Orlando is a sumptuous film based on Virginia Woolf’s novel, said to be a love letter to Vita Sackville West. Sally Potter’s direction follows the dashing Orlando, (an elegant Tilda Swinton) from life at the court of Queen Elizabeth, played by a deliciously decrepit Quentin Crisp, to Woolf’s 1920s. And through his ageless life Orlando both effortlessly changes gender and glides through the most aristocratic and intellectual society of his or her day amongst an array of dazzling locations. Average bean score: 3.47 out of 4 |
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PALME DEWAR SHORT FILM COMPETITIONSaturday 5.00 pm: Dewar’s World of Whisky, Aberfeldy
he film festival also incorporated the Palme Dewar award - Scotland’s brand new open film competition. In previous years, the Society has shown a selection of short films from the Scottish Screen annual selection and the audience has voted for their favourite film. In 2009 we are launched an open competition for Scotland’s film makers and for short films made in Scotland. The shortlisted films were shown on Saturday 7th November at 5pm at Dewars World of Whisky and the audience voted for the winner of this year’s award. The shortlisted selection was excellent. The winner was Chris Dunne (ZMO productions) for his film “Dark Places in the Sunshine”. |
 Peter Guthrie of Dewar’s World of Whisky (right) presents Chris Dunne (ZMO productions) with the Palme Dewar Award |
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Attic, Castle Menzies, Weem
7.30pm-8.45pm Bride of Frankenstein Director - James Whales, 1935, US, English, 75 minutes, Certificate PG One of the greatest horror films of all time, macabre and satirical, it was directed by master of horror James Whale and reunited Colin Clive as Dr. Frankenstein with Boris Karloff as the Monster and Elsa Lanchester as the Bride. Whale anticipated subsequent horror parodies with this insurmountable swan song to the monster movie genre. Average bean score: 3.23 |
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Pink Room, Castle Menzies, Weem
Director - Tomas Alfredson, 2008, Sweden, 115 minutes, Certificate 15 This Swedish vampire movie is darkly atmospheric yet unexpectedly tender. A highly acclaimed film. Oskar, a bullied 12-year old, dreams of revenge. He falls in love with Eli, a peculiar girl. She can't stand the sun or food and to come into a room she needs to be invited. Eli gives Oskar the strength to hit back but when he realizes that Eli needs to drink other people's blood to live he's faced with a choice. How much can love forgive? Let The Right One In is a story both violent and highly romantic, set in the Stockholm suburb of Blackeberg in 1982. Average bean score: 2.46 out of 4 |
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Dewar Room, Castle Menzies, Weem
9.00pm-12.00am Ceilidh with the Loch Tay Steamers Bar and buffet at 10.15pm |
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