Screenplay launches with musical parade

THIS YEAR’s Screenplay festival kicked off in style with a movie-themed brass band march through the streets of Lerwick on Saturday.

The Shetland Arts film bonanza, which has been curated by Mark Kermode and Linda Ruth Williams, launched with a musical parade through the town.

The Lerwick Brass Band took a number of people – including film-lovers from Maddrim Media – from the Market Cross to Mareel, where the festival is based.

Some of the band’s accompanying entourage dressed up in movie related attire, with some youths seen dressed as sharks to honour Jaws’ 40th anniversary.

The brass musicians meanwhile performed iconic themes from films such as James Bond and The Dam Busters.

Screenplay volunteer co-ordinator Cara McDiarmid said that the march hoped to showcase the fun nature of the festival, which will run until 6 September.

“It’s really to get people to see Screenplay as a brilliant festival that’s full of really interesting, fun things to see,” she said.

“We’ve got such a great programme this year and it’s something for the whole family to enjoy.”

The parade led followers to Mareel ahead of a showing of German flick Fiddlesticks that was dubbed live by locals John Haswell, Kathy Hubbard and Izzy Swanson.

Among the guests due to visit this year’s festival meanwhile are Sherlock star Mark Gatiss and award-winning actress Lindsay Duncan.