AN STV series on the ­independence referendum presented by Herald columnist Iain Macwhirter is in the running for a prestigious Scottish Bafta award.

The shortlists for this year's awards from the ­British Academy of Film and Television Arts (Bafta) Scotland feature The Road to Referendum, which is in the running for best current affairs programme.

Elsewhere, the film For Those in Peril leads the way with four nominations, closely followed by Case Histories, Fire in the Night, I am Breathing, Murder and the gangster film The Wee Man, all with two each.

Ford Kiernan, Peter Mullan and Sharon Rooney go head-to-head in the best actor and actress on television category.

However, high-profile Scottish movies Filth and Sunshine On Leith are not in the running for the awards. They were released after the deadline for inclusion, which was July 31.

Another high-profile film, We Are Northern Lights, has not made the shortlist, but is up for is Cineworld Audience award.

This year, for the first time, Scottish talent working outside the country has been included in the shortlists.

The radio and television presenter Edith Bowman will host the awards ceremony on November 17.

Alan de Pellette, acting director of BAFTA Scotland, said that the organisation would not "bend the rules" to include Filth and Sunshine on Leith this year, because then that change would have to apply to every category.

On the Scottish film ­industry, Mr de Pellette said: "It is a difficult time, but it has always been difficult to make a film in Scotland. It is a struggle to get films made, it is hard to get finance, and one thing we have noticed is that there are more and more very low budget films being made.

"The challenge then is getting them seen.

"It is a live issue and a thorny issue."

Bowman said: "It is with immense joy and a huge honour that I have been asked to host the Scottish BAFTA's again this year.

"Any opportunity to ­celebrate the huge amount of talent Scotland has to offer is a genuine must for me."