FILMG AWARDS TO BE STREAMED LIVE ONLINE FOR THE FIRST TIME

The awards ceremony for Scotland’s national Gaelic film competition is be to streamed live on the internet for this first time this year.

The FilmG awards, which takes place at the Old Fruitmarket in Glasgow on Friday 19 February, will be broadcast via the competition’s website (www.filmg.co.uk), allowing FilmG supporters and participants who can’t attend to watch the evening’s prize-giving and entertainment unfold.

With the competition adding a Best Mobile Short prize this year to augment to this year’s other new categories for Best Script, and Best Animation, the live streaming adds to the increasingly accessible and interactive nature of the FilmG awards.

And this year, award attendees and viewers watching the live stream will also be able to enter a new on the night Gaelic Instagram competition.

During the first half of the event, attendees and those watching at home will be asked to post the most fun, entertaining and/or creative Gaelic photo to the popular social media site Instagram, under the hashtag #FilmG. At the interval the judges will review the photos and choose a winner – which will be announced at the end of the night – and who will receive a GoPro camera.

Floraidh Forrest, project manager of FilmG, said: “Excitement is building as we count down towards the eighth annual FilmG awards ceremony and we are delighted that we are able to stream the ceremony live on the internet for the first time this year.

“Not all participants – especially in our youth category when large classes of pupils come together to produce a film – are able to attend. Together with many FilmG supporters, who often provide significant behind-the-scenes support throughout the year, the live broadcast will allow them to sample the evening’s entertainment and see who picks up the deserved awards.

“We are also looking forward to the new Instagram photo competition. We think it’s a great way of getting more people to post to social media in Gaelic. Last year we had printed Gaelic hashtags on the tables and these proved to be great fun and many a selfie was taken! We hope to replicate this light-hearted way of using social media in order to promote the Gaelic language and the competition.

“We’ve had great success with social media at past FilmG awards, with a little support from Danny MacAskill who attended last year and tweeted from the event. We hope the Instagram competition will be just as successful, especially amongst viewers at home and around the world.”

Amongst the live entertainment on the evening will be a set from acclaimed four-piece band, The League of Highland Gentleman.

Floraidh added: “Although the focus is on encouraging the talents of budding filmmakers, the awards’ organisers are also keen to encourage our other creative sectors. We are delighted that The League of Highland Gentleman will be joining us to take to the stage and although they are only a year into their life as a band, they’ve already received widespread acclaim and won the Up and Coming Artist of the Year award at the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards.

“We hope that the live streaming of the event will allow them to gain a few more fans for their exceptional blend of traditional and electronica music as they take to the stage at the Old Fruitmarket.”

PERTH MASTERS CURLING EXCLUSIVELY LIVE ON BBC ALBA

BBC ALBA is to broadcast live curling for the first time, with exclusive UK coverage of the 2016 Mercure City of Perth Masters to be screened on the channel.

The tournament, to be held at the Dewars Centre in Perth, sees world class curlers from 12 countries, including Scotland, compete for the prestigious title in the 40th year of the tournament.

Part of the Curling Champions Tour, the men’s tournament is the first action of 2016 with 32 participants – including Scotland’s David Murdoch – competing across four days.

BBC ALBA will provide live coverage across each day of the Perth Masters, starting on Thursday 7 January at 4.15pm and culminating in coverage from the final on Sunday 10 January at 3pm.

Jackie Lockhart, who led her rink to the world title in 2002, will be on hand throughout the tournament to provide expert analysis for BBC ALBA viewers on the intricacies of the sport, with commentary provided by Derek Mackay.

Alan Esslemont, head of content at BBC ALBA, said: “BBC ALBA is committed to providing high quality sport for our audience and coverage of Perth Masters curling will further enhance this offering to viewers.

“The profile of curling has been raised significantly in Scotland over the past fifteen years thanks to the success enjoyed at Winter Olympics and World Championship events. We hope BBC ALBA can help to push that recognition even higher with live coverage of intense competition amongst these elite international players taking place at the heart of Perth.

“We look forward to the tournament and the expert analysis of Jackie Lockhart who will join us for the four days of action.”

The BBC ALBA live coverage is as follows:

Thursday 7th January
16:15 – 18:15
20:30 – 22:30

Friday 8th January
10:15 – 12:15
13:30 – 15:30
15:45 – 17:45

Saturday 9th January
11:15 – 13:15 A Finals
17:00 – 19:00 B Finals
20:00 – 22:00 C Finals

Sunday 10th January
09:00 – 11:00 1/4 Finals
12:00 – 14:00 Semi Finals
15:00 – 17:00 Final

Coverage of the 2016 Mercure City of Perth Masters is produced for BBC ALBA by mneTV, one of Scotland’s leading sports production companies.