Three FAN-supported projects have received FOCAL Award nominations – the Film Hub North supported Lost Connections, which has been nominated in the Best Short category – and two Film Hub Scotland projects – Launch! On the Sea with Scotland’s Lifeboats (2021), nominated for Best Use of Footage in a Factual or Natural World Production, and Living Proof – A Climate Story, a partnership between the National Library of Scotland’s Moving Image Archive and Film Hub Scotland, nominated in FOCAL’s Best Cinematic Feature category.
In a unique collaboration, Lost Connections provided 12 of our UK National and Regional Film Archives to come together to share their collections and knowledge, and create a new film, drawing on over a century of archive footage that reflects back and responds to the changing national mood throughout the coronavirus pandemic.
Curators from the twelve archives uncovered imagery and voices on film, video and born-digital formats that resonated with the feelings of uncertainty and disconnection over the past two years, coupled with a collective desire for reconnection with people, community and nature. Drawing upon source material from 200 films put forward by the archive curators, Andy Burns, editor and filmmaker at Yorkshire Film Archive, meticulously crafted a dialogue between the past and the present.
Revealing our common experiences over the generations, the narration is co-written, with Burns, and performed by artist Hussina Raja, who responds to the imagery with a common and recurring narration throughout the film: ‘Can we always be connected?’.
Since its launch last summer Lost Connections has been screened in over 30 venues UK-wide and is still available to book for free for in-venue and online screenings through Film Hub North – https://filmhubnorth.org.uk/lost-connections
It is also available to stream on BFI Player – https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/watch-lost-connections-2021-online
Supported by Film Hub North, on behalf of the BFI Film Audience Network.
Community engagement
Another FAN-supported, award nominated project wasLaunch! On the Sea with Scotland’s Lifeboats (2021) – nominated in FOCAL’s ‘Best Use of Footage in a Factual or Natural World’ category
Directed by Shona Thomson of A Kind of Seeing in co-production with Screen Argyll, Launch! was a two-year creative archive film project rooted in the community engagement.
The film features 1960s promotional RNLI films in colour, rare 1920s footage sourced from the National Library of Scotland Moving Image Archive, and digital video captured by crew helmet cameras within the last 10 years.
After premiering at Mareel in Lerwick, 20 June 2021, it screened in 30 locations across Scotland between September 2021 and January 2022.
The project was supported by EventScotland through Scotland’s Year of Coasts and Waters 20/21, by The National Lottery and the Scottish Government through Screen Scotland, and Film Hub Scotland as part of the BFI’s Film Audience Network.
A Climate Story
Directed by Emily Munro and produced by National Library of Scotland (NLS) to coincide with Scotland’s hosting of the international climate conference COP26 in Glasgow, Living Proof – A Climate Story (2021) received a nomination by FOCAL for Best Cinematic Feature category.
In the feature, footage from the National Library of Scotland portrays a country shaped by demands for energy and economic growth. The film focuses on the post-war period in Scotland, from mid 1940s to the early 1980s. Over 80 different films are included in the documentary, including wartime propaganda, sponsored documentaries, corporate public relations films, educational films and amateur footage.
Living Proof premiered at Take One Action! Film Festival before its tour of 35 venues. It then became available to stream online for free via INDY Online and Stream Screen Argyll in accessible formats, as well as FIAF’s closed members’ platform. Combining in-person and online screenings, the film has been seen by 1500+ people.
Funded by The National Library of Scotland and Film Hub Scotland as part of BFI’s Film Audience Network.
