Movies will be on the move in the Far North

A DIFFERENT kind of Olympic relay will make its way to the Far North this summer as part of the London 2012 celebrations.

Hansel of Film – Shetland to Southampton and Back is a madcap "relay race" of film screenings around the UK, featuring short films made by the public as part of the London 2012 Olympic Festival.

Halladale Film Club is taking part in the unusual Shetland Arts’ project.

Alex Patience, of the Sutherland movie club, said "runners" are being sought across the Far North to think of interesting ways of getting the films from one venue to the next. "For our proposed ‘runners’ taking the ‘flame of films’ north to Hoy, I have gathered a ceilidh gang to perform Scots and Gaelic music, songs and stories," she said.

"So maybe as yet the torch hasn’t decided to make it to the north coast but we will tour the flaming films held high along the coast to John O’Groats and we’ll ceilidh on the ferry across from there to Orkney and along to Kirkwall and then to Hoy to celebrate with our cousins over the firth."

The films will be relayed between participating venues by "runners", who will employ whatever means of transport they can devise to get the right films to the right venues on time.

The Hansel of Film relay arrives at Halladale Film Club on Thursday, August 16, and there is still the opportunity to sign up as the "runner" for this leg from Banchory.

There will be a free screening at the Halladale Hall of short films made by people in Shetland, Edinburgh and the Far North, after which the race resumes onwards to Hoy in Orkney for a screening on August 17, and then home for a screening during Shetland Arts’ annual film festival, Screenplay, in September.

Far North film-makers are also wanted to submit their own flicks for use in the festival.

"I want everyone to run out and make or drag out their archive of film shorts and submit them to this project," said Alex. "This is a very exciting fun, grass-roots and yet national contribution to the Olympic arts programme. We are so pleased that a Hansel of Film will be gaining energy and our local film-makers content from us on the north coast."

Organisers are looking for movies from people of all ages and walks of life.

The films can be about any subject, provided that they are no longer than five minutes, and that they are suitable for general viewing.

The London 2012 Cultural Olympiad is the largest cultural celebration in the history of the modern Olympic and Paralympic movements.

Spread over four years, it is designed to give everyone in the UK a chance to be part of London 2012 and inspire creativity across all forms of culture, especially among young people.

For more details visit www.london2012.com festival.

Information about the Hansel of Film project can be found on the website – http:/hansel2012.org – where films can be submitted and/or applications made to be a runner.

The deadline for submitting a film and applying to be a runner is May 18