Successful premiere of Caithness film at Lyth and now 'world is its oyster'
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WORDS On The Wind – a poetic film about Caithness, its people and landscape – was "birthed" at Lyth Arts Centre on Friday night and now "the world is its oyster."
So said local writer, George Gunn, who developed and produced the film during his time as an artist in residence at the centre.
Words On The Wind features local people talking about specific places that inspired them and was filmed at these locations. Poetry was also very much part of the film which included commentary by Gunn and music written by Wick fiddler and musician, Gordon Gunn, whose son, Steven, did the filming at the various places in Caithness with a drone being used for beautiful aerial shots and images.
Lyth was packed for the event which attracted around 80 people who came to see the premiere of the film which had contributions from Heather Calder-McPhee, Andrew Mackay, Gail Brown, Scott Shearer, Kevin Sabiston, George Bethune, Mandy Beattie and Donna Booth at locations including Castlehill, near Castletown, West Greenland, Castletown beach, Thurso, Dunbeath, Ackergill and Wick.
The contributors spoke eloquently and with feeling about what Caithness means to them and the way it "gets its claws into you." They also talked about its community spirit, the landscape, the challenges the place faces and its future opportunities.
Gunn, who is 67 and lives in Thurso with his wife Christine, said: "I was delighted with the response and to see the place full. There was a good, positive discussion afterwards, too. Caithness came out of it very well – both the people and the place.
"Caithness is spectacular and you just have to point a camera in the right place and let it do its own thing and just let the people speak. I am pleased it sounded good, looked good and the music was good."
He added: "We plan to put the film on in various communities in the county and possibly show it at Thurso Cinema in the new year. We also plan to take it to Edinburgh and show it at film and book festivals as it is about the poetry of Caithness. The film is birthed now so the world is its oyster. Caithness has to tell its own story. There is an audience for it."
The film is about 50 minutes long but involved five hours of footage. Gunn now plans to make three short films featuring some of the people who were not included in Words On The Wind. "It is all there. We just have to edit it," he said.
