The film is an exploration and visual interpretation of the poem "Hallaig" by Gaelic poet Sorley MacLean. The poem originally written in Gaelic and translated describes the tragic loss and memories of a highland community on the Island of Raasay.
The film depicts symbols of life and time. That in Hallaig, there is something to protect. The woods become alive as women, love is presented as a hunter, and time an apparitional deer. The land of the living and the land of the dead become pervious to each other.
The aim of the film is to enlighten and enrich the words of the poem. The aim of creating this film is to educate, inform and raise awareness of the social problems people endured during the period of the Highland Clearances. To research these events of social history in Scotland, in greater depth through the exploration, interpretation and investigation of the poem's use of symbolism and meaning to depict tragedy and loss.
The clearances were virtually ignored for many years this century by writers, historians and academics, partly out of a new struggle towards statehood in Scotland. Devolution and The new Parliament being a new centre of focus and attention.
However in recent years there has been a great revival in Gaelic culture and a renewed interest in Highland History. I believe that The poet Sorley MacLean, when writing "Hallaig" saw the poem as representing and exploring what could be seen as a microcosm for other problems and injustices in the world. For example: Ireland, Africa [Zimbabwe], Bosnia, and also the homeless of Edinburgh".
Hallaig International Film Festivals and Awards
International festival of Cinema Technology 2006
The IFCT 2006 Award for Best Visual Innovation - The IFCT 2006 Award for Best Experimental Film
New York, Orlando, U S A
December 2006 (Film Festival)
Reel 2006 Poetic Cinema
Edinburgh, United Kingdom
November 2006 (Film Festival)
3rd Zebra Poetry Film Awards
Literaturwerkstatt Berlin, Germany
October 2006 (Film Festival)
Festival Du Cinema De Paris 2005
Palmares award for La Direction d'Art
Paris, France
August 2006 (Film Festival)
WESTERN EUROPE PREMIERE
Festival de Cine International de Barcelona
Barcelona, Spain
July 2006 (Film Festival)
Evora International Film Festival
Evora, Portugal
November 2005 (Film Festival)
Arpa International Film Festival
Hollywood, U S A
October 2005 (Film Festival)
NORTH AMERICA PREMIERE
Rome International Film Festival
Georgia, U S A
September 2005 (Film Festival)
Oxford Film Festival
'Spirit of Hoka' Award for Best experimental Film
Mississippi, U S A
September 2005 (Film Festival)
Tahoe/ Reno International Film Festival
Nevada, U S A
August 2005 (Film Festival)
Rushes Soho Shorts Film Festival
London, Cambridge, Birmingham, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
August 2005 (Film Festival)
Forest Film festival
Portland, Oregon, U S A
May 2005 (Film Festival)
Moondance International Film Festival
'Moondance Seahorse' Award for Short Film
Boulder, Colorado, U S A
May 2005 (Film Festival)
Hearts and Minds Film festival
Wilmington, Delaware, U S A
March 2005 (Film Festival)
Tiburon International Film festival
Tiburon, California, U S A
March 2005 (Film Festival)
Student and Independent Film festival
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
March 2005 (Film Festival)