New environmental film 'The Dreaming Bog' with Caithness poet George Gunn's work to be screened at Lyth Arts Centre tomorrow
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Lyth Arts Centre is hosting a screening of a new environmental film, The Dreaming Bog, tomorrow evening (Wednesday, October 12) that features the work of Caithness poet and playwright George Gunn.
Sutherland born filmmaker Robert Aitken directed and produced the film which is based on the opening act of Gunn's epic new poem "Six Thousand Years of Sunlight".
The Dreaming Bog merges poetry with environmental concerns through the backdrop of the bogs and peatlands of northern Scotland and the mires and swamps of Finland.
Mr Aitken said: “Filming took place at the end of 2021 under challenging circumstances including a pandemic, a lockdown, two storms and multiple cancellations due to Covid and illness. It is just incredible The Dreaming Bog got made at all.”
The filmmaker said that the global bogs, mires and peatlands were an “incredible gift of life” but were in danger of degradation through human-related activities.
“They are often seen as unexciting landscapes, not fit for much use, but this couldn’t be further from their past story and inherent nature,” he said.
“These places are home to an immense variety of plants and wildlife, and historically, humankind has lived and worked in the bogs of northern Scotland since the arrival of the hunter-gatherer. As carbon keepers, the bogs are four times more efficient at storing gases poisonous to human life, than the rainforests.
“The last 200 years has seen more change and damage to the bogs than the previous 6000 years of civilization."
The Dreaming Bog contains comments from those who live and work in the bogs of Caithness and Sutherland as well as Finland.
George Gunn said: “I was honoured when Robert wanted to use some of my poems for his new film.
“The subject matter of the Caithness and Sutherland bog lands is very close to my heart given the Clan Gunn literally, culturally and historically, come out of the bog.”
The full length film runs at 40 minutes and takes place from 6.30-7.30pm at Lyth Arts Centre.
Tickets are £6 and available at lytharts.org.uk/event/the-dreaming-bog/
Tickets will also be available on the night but booking in advance is recommended to avoid disappointment.
