THE Scottish director of the only UK film to be screened at the prestigious Critics Week selection at Cannes has spoken of his joy at being selected.
Paul Wright's debut feature, For Those in Peril, was shot in north-east Scotland last year near Gourdon, Aberdeenshire, and is described as a "dramatic thriller" about the lone survivor of a fishing accident that claims the lives of five men in a seaside town.
Produced by Warp Films and backed by the British Film Institute and £300,000 from Creative Scotland, the movie is the only British film in the critics' showcase and receives its first screening today.
Wright, 31, who won a Bafta in 2011 for his short Until the River Runs Red, is now based in his native Fife after living in London.
"It really is a perfect platform for the film, for people to see it for the first time and to get them interested," he said.
"I don't know how many thousands of films try to get into the Critics Week and I would be lying to say I had any confidence of getting in – so it has been great. Everyone is telling me how busy Cannes is, and it will be very interesting to take part in it for the first time."
Wright's film is part of the festival's Official Selection. The filmmaker has won several awards and was named one of Screen International's Stars of Tomorrow.
Cannes, which runs until May 26, has a Scottish presence on the eight-strong Cannes jury, with Lynne Ramsay, the acclaimed Scottish director, one of the judges.
Scotland has a dedicated stand at the UK Film Pavilion and will host a breakfast and official reception. Next Tuesday is Film in Scotland Day with a panel discussion from the producer of Cloud Atlas, Alex Boden, Andy Paterson, producer of The Railway Man, and Claire Mundell, producer of Not Another Happy Ending.
Documentary maker Mark Cousins will talk about his new production, The Story of Film and Children, which will also be screened at Cannes.
Films from Scotland or with Scottish backing that are being sold or marketed at Cannes include David MacKenzie's Starred Up, Jonathan Glazer's Under The Skin, and Jon S Baird's Filth.
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