A GROUND-BREAKING documentary about the man regarded as the father of the Scottish folk revival is to be launched in cinemas across Scotland this week.
A war hero, poet, singer, songwriter and political activist, the late Hamish Henderson played a key part in awakening Scotland’s cultural consciousness.
Yet despite his many achievements there have been fears in recent years that Henderson, who died in 2002, was becoming a cult figure known only to the older generation and younger members of the music scene.
To counter this, a new feature-length documentary, which has been 14 years in the making, will be screened in cinemas across Scotland starting with Aberdeen tonight.
Supported by MG Alba and Creative Scotland, the film, entitled Hamish, will also be coming to the small screen when it broadcasts on BBC Alba in the autumn.
The film has been produced by Alasdair MacCuish of Bees Nees Media in association with Pure Magic Films and directed by Scottish filmmaker Robbie Fraser.
It pays tribute to the many contrary forces and diverse facets of Henderson’s life.
Henderson helped establish the Edinburgh’s People’s Festival in 1951 which put traditional Scottish folk music on a public stage for the first time and arguably evolved into the internationally renowned Edinburgh Fringe.
In 1983 he turned down an OBE in protest at the nuclear arms policy of Margaret Thatcher’s government and as a result was voted Scot of the Year by BBC Radio Scotland listeners. He was bisexual and campaigned for equal rights and Scottish independence, and was a strong supporter of the release of Nelson Mandela. “It’s been my passion and ambition for many years to bring the life of Hamish Henderson to the big and small screen,” said MacCuish. “Growing up as a traditional musician, I’ve been fortunate enough to experience first-hand the legacy which Hamish left for us all.
“More than a decade since his passing, and thanks to the support of MG Alba and Creative Scotland, I’m delighted that Hamish’s incredible life can, at last, be shared with audiences at home and around the world.”
Fraser and award-winning writer Kevin MacNeil, who worked on Hamish, will be on hand at a selection of screenings to host a question-and-answer sessions offering an insight into the making of the film, which weaves golden archive footage with the loving testimony of Henderson’s family, friends and colleagues.
For details on cinema screenings visit the events section at www.facebook.com/HamishMovie/events
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