Festival to focus on wild and wonderful on screen
A RED squirrel in snow, in an image by photographer Keith Kirk, is a wintry introduction to the Wild Film Festival Scotland (WFFS), which will be held in Dumfries next year.
The festival will take place from March 24 to 26 and will, amid its celebration of nature on screen, showcase the photographic and filmmaking talent in Dumfries and Galloway.
Among those bringing their insights to the festival will be Mr Kirk, an awardwinning photographer; the environmental photographers Morag Paterson and Ted Leeming; and Gordon Rae, the 2016 Scottish Salon Nature Photographer of the Year who is well-known for his work with bears,
In addition there is Jesse Beaman, an astrophotographer and dark skies park ranger.
Mr Kirk, who is based in Castle Douglas, said: “Most people only get to see wildlife and the natural environment in the daytime – but that’s only part of the story.
“We will be revealing everything that Dumfries and Galloway has to offer in daylight and after dark. We really hope that visitors will seize the opportunity to get out there themselves and discover its incredible variety of species and habitats – from moorland and mountain to forests, woods, rivers and the wonderful coastline.”
The Springwatch presenter and documentary maker Iolo Williams will recall his wildlife adventures at the festival.
He will describe making films all round the world and some of his adventures, which have included being charged by grizzly bears in Alaska and encountering Komodo dragons in Indonesia. The theme for the festival will be “amazing journeys, wild places and rewilding”. Full details of the headline guests and the films to be shown will be unveiled in the near future.
The films will include winners from the 2016 Panda Awards or the “wildlife film Oscars”.
WFFS is working with Wildscreen, the international festival celebrating storytelling about the natural world, which hosts the awards.
Mr Williams, who will be appearing on March 25, said: “Having a new festival devoted to the best wildlife film and photography, and beautiful part of Scotland, with an abundance of wildlife.”
The British Wildlife Photographer Exhibition will be at the Gracefield Arts Centre and the films shown at the nearby Robert Burns Film Centre.