BBC ALBA’s long-running Gaelic drama series Bannan has been picked up for a North American launch by streaming service MHz.
Announced by producers Young Films and the sales distributors, Videoplugger, the series will stream on MHz Choice in the USA and Canada from early March 2021.
This follows the success of the launch of Episodes 1 – 18 in France, where a further 10 episodes of the show have now also been sold.
BBC ALBA’s flagship drama Bannan has now broadcast 7 seasons in the UK and the producers hope to shoot the eagerly awaited 8th series in September this year.
Set in a Scottish island community and shot on the Isle of Skye, the character driven drama brings to life the challenges of rural life in a new and contemporary way.
The series has tackled a number of challenging and thought-provoking storylines including child grooming, terminal illness and of course BBC ALBA’s first ever murder.
Chris Young, founder of Skye-based Young Films and producer of Bannan, said: “Once again we see the power of our Gaelic drama to touch people thousands of miles away with different languages and culture from our own.
“Audiences in the USA, Canada and France can connect with characters like Màiri and Ceitidh and their emotional journeys.
“Whether subtitled in English or French or dubbed in Breton these stories resonate as strongly abroad as they do at home.
“And with a new American audience we are confident that Bannan will travel further around the world and reach an even wider viewership.”
Margaret Mary Murray, BBC ALBA’s Head of Service, said: “Bannan is a hit with viewers in Scotland and it’s exciting that we are able to share that success with international audiences and that they too can enjoy our language and rich culture of storytelling.”
Susan Strand, Digital Content Producer, MHz said:” This is a gripping, evocative drama, a door into the Scottish Gaelic culture.”
Emanuele Galloni, CEO Videoplugger said: “We are happy that Bannan has been given its North American premiere on MHz, we believe this show has a truly universal appeal.”
A new, wide-ranging, multi-faceted learning brand has been announced, offering the most comprehensive approach to learning Scottish Gaelic in a generation.
SpeakGaelic will launch from autumn 2021 with a course, a dedicated on-demand learning website and complementary programming across BBC ALBA platforms, including BBC ALBA YouTube, ensuring international availability.
This new brand will offer the most significant transformational change to learning and using Gaelic in almost thirty years and is set to be a focal point for adult learners and speakers.
Aimed at increasing the uptake and usage of Gaelic, the project will launch in four stages across 2021-2023, each directed at a different proficiency on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL) scale of A1, A2, B1 and B2.
SpeakGaelic will offer users the option of face-to-face classes, self-guided online learning, and media content through a variety of platforms – or all three at the same time. It will never have been easier to learn and use Gaelic. As well as complete beginners, SpeakGaelic will be aimed at enabling lapsed or less confident speakers to use their Gaelic with confidence.
The initiative will complement and extend the range of options already available to learners through other sources, such as LearnGaelic, existing formal courses and the wonderfully successful Scottish Gaelic offering on Duolingo. Duolingo’s success, with around 600,000 registered users learning Gaelic, the doubling of LearnGaelic’s website users, and a surge in interest in Gaelic both in Scotland and internationally, will allow SpeakGaelic to offer an integrated structure at a crucial time.
SpeakGaelic will be delivered by media organisation MG ALBA, with Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the National Centre for Gaelic Language and Culture in Skye as lead academic partner, and the BBC as media content provider.
SpeakGaelic is funded by the Scottish Government; the principal body for promoting Gaelic development, Bòrd na Gàidhlig; the BBC; and MG ALBA, which delivers BBC ALBA in partnership with the BBC. It will be delivered over a three-year period at a cost of £2.4 million in total.
Iseabail Mactaggart, Director of Multiplatform Content at MG ALBA, said: “SpeakGaelic is an unprecedented partnership initiative to deliver a unique combination of ways for people to take up – and improve – their Gaelic. This is exciting, and important for the future of Gaelic. All of us at MG ALBA are proud to be a part of an initiative we hope will prove game-changing for the future of the language. I’m also personally really looking forward to using all the resources to improve my own Gaelic.”
Marsaili MacLeod, Vice Principal & Director of Studies at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, said: “SpeakGaelic will transform the landscape for Gaelic learning – the partnership is creating structured, accessible and media-rich learning materials. It will support our teaching community, from private tutors to Councils and community groups to Universities. It will support our community of learners and Gaelic speakers, welcoming anyone who has an interest, connection or love of the language to take part.”
Margaret Mary Murray, Head of Gaelic Services at the BBC, said: “SpeakGaelic will be a fresh and modern approach to learning on the BBC’s Gaelic services, enabling digital, audio and video content to integrate seamlessly and align with formal academic courses. SpeakGaelic will offer a fantastic new service for audiences on BBC ALBA, iPlayer, Radio nan Gàidheal, Sounds and BBC ALBA YouTube.”
Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: “This is an excellent project and I am pleased the Scottish Government is able to support SpeakGaelic. This comprehensive and ambitious scheme will have benefits for Gaelic speakers and learners in all parts of Scotland – and all over the world. I am also pleased to note the partnership working in place behind the project and look forward to seeing this work progress.”
Shona MacLennan, Chief Executive of Bòrd na Gàidhlig, said: “We very much welcome this collaborative and innovative project which supports the main aim in the National Gaelic Language Plan that Gaelic is used more often, by more people and in more situations. It will enable new learners and existing users to enhance their skills and to put their Gaelic to use in a practical way. BnG’s #cleachdi (#useit) initiative ties in with SpeakGaelic and I would encourage everyone who feels that they would like to speak Gaelic more to make use of the resources available through our website.”
Staffin Primary School
FilmG, the Gaelic short film competition, received over a hundred entries in 2020, as budding young filmmakers from across the country took to their cameras to produce inspiring work.
As well as the volume of entries – 104 in total, FilmG organisers MG ALBA and Skye-based Cànan Graphics Studio (CGS) were impressed by the diversity of those entries, including the first ever entry from the Isle of Man in their native Manx Gaelic.
FilmG continues to leverage new technology and further its commitment to supporting young people with their creative endeavours to create films whilst developing practical and creative skills through the medium of Gaelic.
Filmmakers were supported with virtual workshops, online resources and Augmented Reality workbooks right up until the deadline. Bòrd na Gàidhlig, the national Gaelic development and advisory body, also gave additional support to the project so that young people across Scotland could continue to engage with the workshops and mentoring offerings, despite the Covid-19 restrictions.
Judging this year has also adapted with the times, taking place entirely over video conferencing. The judges scrutinised each of the entries for storytelling skill, creative use of language and visual impact to create a shortlist of entrants. The judges will then select the finalists and the winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on Friday, March 19.
There won’t be a physical ‘live’ awards ceremony this year due to Coronavirus so the FilmG awards will be premiered on BBC ALBA for the first time ever on Friday, March 19, 2021. The ceremony will be filmed in Stornoway this year and presented by Fiona Mackenzie and Niall Iain MacDonald.
Debbie MacKay, Project Manager at CGS, said: “With the number of entries we’ve accepted this year, the FilmG judges had quite a job on their hands! The quality has been remarkable, and it was evident how much work our entrants had put into their films, and how much enjoyment they got from making them. Shortlisting and choosing winners will be no easy task.”
Project supervisor Murdo MacSween, Communications Manager at MG ALBA, said: “Like many similar events, FilmG faced it’s most uncertain year ever in 2020 and to see a record number of entries shows how much the competition is valued. The feedback we’re getting from schools and filmmakers show just how important it is that young Gaels have creative outlets like this and we’re incredibly proud of everyone involved.”
The FilmG Team would like to extend their thanks to all those who have entered the competition and are grateful for all the positive messages sent from schools before the festive season.
Voting is open across both the Youth and Open categories and can be found on the FilmG Website:
Further updates can be found on FilmG’s Social Media Channels:
www.facebook.com/filmgalba/
www.instagram.com/filmg_alba/
twitter.com/FilmGAlba
