Skye-based organisation ATLAS Arts have invited Portree Primary six girls and resident of Budhmor House to a cross-generational screening of an award-winning film on Monday (4th February) as part of its programme.
Filmed in Skye in 2016, ‘Eglantine’ is the debut feature of Glasgow-based filmmaker Margaret Salmon. The film is a nature study that follows a young girl and her encounters in the woods over one night, having lost her way from her family campsite. It is a lyrical and delightful portrait of a child’s perspective of the natural world.
Last year ATLAS installed it in the south wing of Dunvegan Castle and ran an educational workshop programme with Portree Primary School and Portree High School.
This year they are hosting cross-generational screenings with primary aged girls, similar age to the young girl in the film and the elderly generation. The aim is to encourage conversation and share experiences and knowledge about their own encounters with nature.
Suzy Lee, ATLAS Arts film programmer, commented: “We are really excited about working with both Portree Primary and Budhmor House to offer this screening that encourages sharing and discussion.
We’ve had a great response to the film and to our extended programme, so we look forward to showing the film in a new environment.”
In January, Atlas held a cross-generational screening at Tigh na Drochaid Resource
Centre with the primary seven girls from Portree Primary.
Angus Beaton, a care worker at the centre praised the event for bridging the generational gap. He said: “It was wonderful to see the younger generation interact with their regular group and to enjoy watching a film together that connected with both age groups.”
Sara Matheson, Portree Primary Head Teacher said: “Our pupils have been very fortunate to benefit from the work of ATLAS Arts. Most recently our primary seven girls have taken part in film screenings of Eglantine, both at Dunvegan Castle where they were able to hear directly from Margaret Salmon, and more recently at Home Farm and Tigh Na Drochaid, where they have been able to enjoy the film in a cross-generational context.
She added: “As with all projects we have been involved in with ATLAS Arts, our pupils have been impacted very positively by these experiences. We look forward to working with ATLAS Arts on some new and equally exciting future projects.”