Film award honour for Highland cinema stalwart
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A FILM fan’s tireless efforts to bring the latest cinema releases to rural communities have been honoured by Bafta –the British film academy.
Iain MacColl is senior operator of the Screen Machine, the UK’s only full-time self-contained mobile cinema – which has been serving more than 40 communities dotted around Ross-shire and the wider Highlands and Islands for more than two decades.
And he was named the joint winner of Bafta and EE’s first-ever ‘For The Love of Film’ competition at the British academy awards, where he got to rub shoulders with A-list Hollywood talent.
Launched in December, ‘For the Love of Film’ recognises people from across the UK that have done something amazing simply ‘For the Love of Film’.
People across the UK were encouraged to submit applications on behalf of friends or family who they felt should be recognised for their contribution to film.
Hundreds of applications and testimonials were received and considered by a panel of industry experts and chaired by Andrew Orr from the BAFTA film committee. And, after picking up his prize at the glitzy Bafta awards ceremony at the Royal Albert Hall last weekend, he was straight back on the road to Lochinver for the Screen Machine’s February season.
“It is amazing to see the work of the Screen Machine being recognised by Bafta, and all the hard work that not just myself, but everyone at Screen Machine has put in over the last 21 years,” he said.
Praising Mr MacColl, Robert Livingston, director of Regional Screen Scotland, said: “It’s no exaggeration to say that, without his dedication, this lifeline service wouldn’t exist today. So I’m delighted that his achievement, and the wonderful world of the Screen Machine, have been recognised through winning such a prestigious competition.”
Mr MacColl has been with the Screen Machine service since it was launched in 1998.
In that time he has helped to bring the latest mainstream movies and art-house films to a host of communities who would otherwise miss out on the big screen experience.
The Screen Machine operators do everything on the ground – drive it to its location, set it up, sell tickets, welcome the audience, project the films, then close up and move on to the next location.
Increasingly the operators are also delivering special events, such as Into Film school clubs. Last year its annual audience numbers passed the 30,000 mark for the first time.
Mr MacColl shared his award with fellow winner Dan Ellis, the founder and managing director of Jam Jar Cinema in Whitley Bay, Newcastle.
For details about the Screen Machine, visit screenmachine.co.uk
