We're used to seeing cities such as New York, London and Los Angeles depicted on the big screen, recognising them immediately even if we've never been there.
Now, thanks to the British Film Institute’s Britain on Film project - touring Scotland under the banner Made In My Toun - there's an opportunity to catch a glimpse of places much closer to home, captured on archive film stretching back to 1902.
Interactive screenings for Made In My Toun are taking place across Scotland until January 2016, with each showcase including films that feature local people and places - with the next taking place at Eden Court, during Inverness Film Festival on November 7. After that, the event will continue touring, stopping off at Ayr, Aberdeen and a lot of places in between. Each screening aims to explore the historic perceptions of an area in comparison with how we know them today and each forms the basis for a post-screening "blether" with Made In My Toun curator and tour producer Shona Thomson and a panel of changing special guests.
In Inverness, Thomson will be joined by Inverness born Stuart Black, the director of development and infrastructure at Highland Council, who is leading a taskforce to regenerate the city centre. She will also be joined by film historian Lawrence Sutcliffe, who is film officer at the Highlands of Scotland Film Commission.
Thomson said: "I love watching films in the towns and cities where they were made. It's infinitely pleasing to recognise a street, building or even people you know so well on the big screen.
"As a nation, we've always had big ambitions for our urban centres and the benefits they might offer us as citizens: from pedestrianising high streets to 'new town' planning. Made in My Toun is a chance for audiences across Scotland to watch rarely seen archive films embodying those original ambitions, and have a blether in-cinema afterwards about whether they still offer us the promised benefits today."
Made In My Toun will visit the following venues:
- Eden Court, Inverness, November 7 Box office
- DCA, Dundee, November 22 Box office
- Belmont Filmhouse, Aberdeen, November 29 Box office
- New Picture House Cinema, St Andrews, December 10 Box office
- Waterfront Cinema, Greenock, December 17 Box office
- Howden Park Centre, Ayr, January 20 Box office
There will also be a Made In Edinburgh/Made In Leith showcase of films, including Restless Natives and Shallow Grave, running through November, details here
For details for Made In My Toun, visit the official site.
For more information about the Britain on Film project screenings in the rest of the UK, visit the official site.
