Glasgow to host first-ever Wildscreen Roadshow event

Returning to the city for the first time since 2016, Glasgow will host the first-ever Wildscreen Roadshow event, a two day natural world storytelling film celebration. Taking place on 18-19 March at Tower North in the Glasgow Science Centre, the event has several film screenings, talks and Q&A sessions. The films, from Wildscreen Festival’s Official Selection 2022, include Panteras, Living Among Wild Cats and Wild Romania, as well as a series of three ocean films and the Young Programmers Selection. In addition, leading industry filmmakers and conservationists will be taking part in discussions and presentations, bringing global storytellers to Scotland.

Opening the event, which is supported by Screen Scotland, is the Wildscreen Festival Official Selection Programmer Prize Winner 2022 Panteras, Living Among Wild Cats, directed by Andoni Canela (Spain). It follows the renowned nature photographer and his son as they travel in search of the last wild cats on the planet. The full Saturday programme is set to be published in the coming weeks.

Sunday will begin with a series of ocean conservation films, including CAUGHT, directed by Emma Silverstone Segal (Canada) and Whales in a Changing Ocean, directed by Richard Sidey (New Zealand), followed by a Q&A with underwater filmmakers and marine conservationists. The Young Programmers Selection will feature a carefully selected collection of short films curated by young programmers. Closing the two-day event, Wild Romania, directed by Dan Dinu and Cosmin Dumitrache and Wildscreen Festival Official Selection Audience Award Winner 2022, will follow the four seasons of the year to unveil the best kept secrets of Europe’s wilderness.​​​​​​

“This event addresses a continued and vital need to provide young people with an opportunity to engage with climate change issues, natural filmmaking, and the screen industry,” said Gail Roberton, Creative Scotland’s Screen Education Officer. “We hope it encourages their future involvement in all these arenas and tells them that their presence and voices in this area are not just welcome, but a necessity.”

“Following our most successful festival to date alongside the launch of our Global Hubs in 2022, our Glasgow Roadshow will help us to further the crucial discussions around natural world storytelling,” Lucie Muir, CEO of Wildscreen, added. “We must bring filmmaking into cities where people perhaps feel more of a disconnection from wildlife but still have a curiosity about nature.

“As the planet and biodiversity face increasing threats from climate change, our showcase will help to highlight some of the most underrepresented stories and voices from across the world whilst inspiring those in Glasgow and across Scotland to find their own stories closer to home. The time for action is now and we invite you to join us next month in what is our first of many Roadshows.”

Glasgow was chosen to host the showcase as it is considered the home of natural history in Scotland, with leading television and film production companies, including Maramedia and Hello Halo, also based in the city. As a previous European City of Culture, it has a long heritage and history with arts, creativity and storytelling.

Tickets are now on sale from as little as £12 with a variety of passes and concessions available to those seeking employment, in full-time education, registered disabled or over the age of 65. The event is supported by the National Lottery through Screen Scotland, who is providing funding specifically to help underrepresented young people in the area, and it is sponsored by Save our Seas Foundation.