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Cannes Short Film Festival

5 September 2019

Cannes Short Film Festival has screened a BBC ALBA short film on the glitzy French Riviera.

Tha thu air Aigeann m’ Inntinn (You are at the bottom of my mind) commemorates the 100th anniversary of the Iolaire Disaster, one of Britain’s worst maritime disasters.

In the early hours of 1 January 1919, the naval yacht HMY Iolaire, carrying sailors returning from the war, sank after hitting rocks on its approach to Stornoway, tragically killing over 200.

Commissioned as part of BBC ALBA’s Hogmanay schedule last year, the hand-drawn animation was a labour of love for the Dutch-based Scottish animator Catrìona Black.

Catrìona said: “BBC ALBA gave me the opportunity to tell this story for its audience, and that it’s now gaining international interest is wonderful recognition for the film. It’s a hugely important story, one that’s not even well known in Scotland, so to be showcased on the European stage like this obviously means a lot.”

BBC ALBA has had an impressive year, earning multiple plaudits at the Royal Television Society of Scotland annual television awards, including nods for the channel’s first sketch-comedy show, FUNC.