The Scottish Islands Festival and Screen Argyll have teamed up to launch Our Island Stories – the first film festival for and by young islanders in Scotland.
The event organisers will soon be seeking submissions from filmmakers aged 12 to 25 who are part of Scotland’s island communities.
Submissions of up to three-minute-long films will be open from August 2 to August 14 and the festival will run online on August 28. Films, which must focus on life on a Scottish island, can be filmed in English, Gaelic or Scottish dialects.
The project will support young people to make their films, find their voice and share their personal experiences of life on their islands.
Film festival provides unique opportunity for young people
The festival organisers say filmmaking provides a unique and creative way for young people to be heard and to express what they want for their future, how to move forward and improve their lives, how to encourage others to stay on islands and attract others to move there.
Films already created by young islanders from Islay, Arran, Lewis, Orkney, Shetland, South Uist, Colonsay, Eigg, Tiree and Mull during Our Island Stories workshops earlier this year cover a vast range of topics, from tourism to LGBTQ+ safe spaces, marine litter and more.
To support young people to take their filmmaking skills to the next level, Our Island Voices has created a range of video tutorials, covering shooting with a mobile phone, composition tricks, editing, adding music, animation and more. The videos are all free to access and can be viewed here.
Supported by Youth Scotland and the Scottish Island Federation
The project is delivered in partnership with Youth Scotland and the Scottish Island Federation, with Screen Argyll working with Youth Scotland to reach and support young people as part of the Young Islanders Challenge.
Jen Skinner of Screen Argyll said: “We are so excited to be working with the Scottish Island Federation and Youth Scotland on this project, for the potential it has in reaching out to young people in our communities, connecting them through film and giving them a voice. We can’t wait to hear what they have to say.”