The Islands and the Whales (12A)

Further proof of the rude health of the Scottish documentary filmmaking scene comes in the form of Mike Day’s fascinating exploration of life on the Faroe Islands at a time when environmental concerns, health risks and animal rights activism are conspiring to threaten a way of life sustained largely by hunting pilot whales and seabirds for food. Taking a non-judgmental approach, the film unpicks the complex realities of the situation, which takes a turn for the surreal when Pamela Anderson turns up at one point to protest the hunts. ■