A lawyer has been appointed chairman of the Centre for the Moving Image, parent charity of Aberdeen’s Belmont Filmhouse.
Alastair Morrison will succeed Sandy Begbie in the role which he takes up on August 30.
Mr Morrison has experience in strategy development and organisational growth and is currently partner and head of client strategy with Pinsent Masons.
In 2019 he was recognised as the ‘Most Innovative Lawyer in Europe’ and is a frequent speaker on sustainability and what the legal industry can do to be more active in the climate change agenda.
He recently called on the legal industry to unite to pledge a million hours to help prevent climate change and reduce biodiversity loss.
Mr Morrison has a longstanding interest in film, and has a keen interest in photography and architecture.
He said: “I am delighted to have been offered this opportunity to chair CMI at such an exciting and important stage of its development.
“I look forward to working with the CEO, Ken Hay, the rest of the CMI team, and my fellow trustees over the coming years to realise the undoubted potential of CMI and its contribution to Scotland.”
Atholl Duncan, chair of the appointment panel, said: “The board enthusiastically welcomes Alastair Morrison as its new chair.
“Alastair brings a wealth of experience to bring to the CMI and its work. We are very much looking forward to him joining us.”
Cinema reopened with new programme
The Belmont Filmhouse reopened on May 31 following the easing of lockdown restrictions after being forced to close in November last year.
During that time parts of the venue were refreshed and refurbished and in June it announced plans to expand its popular online programme of screenings for over-60s.
It sees the cinema’s team of senior volunteers handpick the films to show for future Senior Selections at Home events.
Giving an update on the current situation, Colin Farquhar head of cinema operations, said: “We are now operating at full hours as we were pre-pandemic, although we aren’t quite back at full capacities yet – we’ll be at 1m distancing for time being.
“People are using the cinema. Customers are happy to be back and many are still arriving for their first visit back.
“They feel safe and have been given confidence by the vaccine programme. Happy to say that the future is looking up!”
Centre for the Moving Image is also parent charity of Edinburgh International Film Festival and Filmhouse in Edinburgh.