Celtic Film and Television Festival

A delegation representing local agencies from the Highlands visited the Celtic Film and Television Festival in Falmouth, Cornwall Festival last week to invite, and warmly welcome the Festival to Skye and Lochalsh next year, which is the Year that Highland Culture will be celebrated throughout Scotland.

Councillor Hamish Fraser, Chairman of The Highland Council’s Gaelic Select Committee, said: "We are delighted that the Festival will be held in the Highlands in 2007 especially in Skye. There is good quality, accommodation and facilities in the area. It is fitting that the Festival should return to the area during 2007 as it was last held in Skye in 1999. The Highland Council sees the Festival as an opportunity to celebrate Highland culture and language through media.

"Next year there will be a Gaelic digital channel which will offer tremendous opportunities for the whole industry, it is therefore very important that all the agencies work together to ensure that this ‘new’ industry develops and thrives. The Festival is part of that process.

"The Festival offers a good opportunity for people in the media industry to liaise, meet and recognise their achievements in production within an increasingly competitive market. The media is developing and entering a ‘new’and interactive phase as communication is rapidly developing on the internet and digital broadcasting is taking its share of the global market."

Maggie Cunningham, Chairman of the Celtic Film and Television Festival, said: "We are looking forward to running the Festival in Skye. We know that it will attract participants from across all sectors and genres in the different Countries. We are looking forward to working with the local agencies and groups in the area to create an exciting, vibrant and enjoyable festival which reflects the area."

Robert Muir, Chief Executive of Skye and Lochalsh Enterprise, which is supporting the event, said: "It is clear from our visit that many of the delegates are very excited about coming to Skye next year. The Festival raises the profile of lesser used languages, contributes to the economy of the area, and is the perfect area and location to stimulate creativity, and inspiration for participants in the industry, as we have a strong arts base and the area is world renown for its beauty and the natural landscape.

"The independent sector offers opportunities for job creation not only in the cities but in rural communities especially with the development of broadband, the role out of high speed broadband and the development of digital channels."