Football clubs are still a force for good
As somebody who loves sport, I can completely understand the euphoria felt by fans after Rangers were crowned Scottish Premiership champions – especially after an almost decade-long wait. But I also sympathise with the justifiable anger felt by the people of Glasgow as they watched crowds of supporters flood to Ibrox stadium and then George Square in the heart of the city.
We’ve all been locked down and living with restrictions for the past 12 months, so to see a small minority of fans completely disregarding personal responsibility by gathering en masse was, to say the least, both shocking and disappointing.
It is the fans who flouted lockdown that must be held responsible, but I do think the club should also have better predicted that there would be a massive outpouring of excitement and, therefore, every possibility of a breach of lockdown rules. With that anticipated, a stronger “stay home” message to fans from the captain and the players might have reduced the numbers.
However, it’s important to note the fantastic work football clubs do in their local communities, and keep this in mind so the entire sport isn’t tarred with the same brush. From mental health support to food banks, clubs are an integral part of society, and such a powerful force for good within Scotland.
There has been a small number of people taking this breach of the rules as an opportunity to demonise and criticise football in general and, quite frankly, they are clearly missing the point.
A horror movie – the first film to be shot entirely in Caithness in more than 70 years – has become a major hit in Russia.
There are already hopes that a post-lockdown influx of so-called set-jetters – holidaymakers who flock to movie locations – could provide a tourism boost for the region.
Originally called Playhouse, the film began packing out cinemas in Russia after being repackaged by distributors as part of the popular Cursed House series.
Film-making brothers Fionn and Toby Watts now hope to put their home county back on the movie map. They produced, wrote and directed the horror feature, renamed Cursed House 4 for Russian audiences and set in Freswick Castle, Wick, near where they grew up.
Genre specialists Devilworks has secured the rights to distribute the gothic thriller in the UK and Ireland, while a North American deal has also been arranged.
Fionn said he was “staggered” by the response.
“The whole film has been dubbed into the Russian language,” he said. “Playhouse centres on a writer working in frightening levels of isolation in a harsh and unforgiving landscape, and maybe that is something relatable over there.”