Life on a Scots ferry and living with dementia

STV will broadcast two brand new, 30-minute documentaries made by Scots next month.

The will be shown as part of This is Scotland, a documentary and new talent initiative run by the Scottish Documentary Institute (SDI) in association with Screen Scotland.

The first of the documentaries, All Aboard, broadcast on Friday 8 March at 8pm, will bring viewers a unique insight into life onboard the MV Hrossey ferry, which travels overnight between Aberdeen and Shetland, seen through the eyes of its crew and passengers.

Taking 14 hours, The MV Hrossey ferry travels overnight between Aberdeen and Shetland every day, making one stop at Orkney on the way. Onboard, islanders and crew members laugh, tell stories and reflect upon their lives during the overnight trip. Stunning views of Shetland, beautiful sunsets, breathtaking wildlife and if you’re lucky, a glimpse of the Northern lights in summer, all make up this epic Scottish journey north. Not to mention the inevitable bit of sea sickness…

This film is a unique insight into life onboard the MV Hrossey, seen through the eyes of the crew and passengers who travel it – some on a one-off lifetime trip, others on a regular commute. Islanders mix with tourists and staff, who live and work with each other, all of them bonding onboard the ferry.

Funny, heartwarming and relatable individuals tell their stories and give an insight into the life contained onboard this ship, connecting mainland Scotland to its most northernly set of islands.

All Aboard is made by Duncan Cowles, a graduate from Edinburgh College of Art whose short films have been selected for film festivals at home and internationally, winning a number of awards and nominations.

On Friday 29 March at 8pm, STV will broadcast Adventures in Dementia, a touching story about the heart-warming friendship of Agnes and Nancy, who prove that their dementia is no barrier to achieving their ultimate goals.

We meet Agnes. She is a type A, driven and dedicated to the cause of dementia activism. She lives in Glasgow, travels all the time and doesn’t ever seem to slow down.

And we meet Nancy. She lives alone on a croft far away from the hustle and bustle of city life. She tends her garden, practices mindfulness and is also a dementia activist.

Agnes and Nancy are friends, and when they meet up there is much laughter. Together they will embark on an adventure which proves that life with dementia is not over by any means. They will fly among the trees!

Behind Adventures in Dementia is Scottish filmmaker Anne Milne, who has received several awards for her work, including a BAFTA New Talent Award and a BAFTA Scotland Award.

Launched in 2013, This is Scotland offers upcoming filmmakers a unique opportunity to produce a documentary, working closely with SDI, and have their work broadcast in peak time on STV.

Stephen O’Donnell, director of programme strategy and marketing at STV, said: ‘STV is committed to supporting the creative industries in Scotland and This is Scotland is a fantastic opportunity to find and nurture new talent. I am delighted that we will provide a platform for these entertaining and uplifting documentaries on STV.’

SDI was established in 2004 to nurture documentary filmmakers and audiences in Scotland and beyond, specialising in documentary training, production and distribution.

Noe Mendelle, director of Scottish Documentary Institute and executive producer, said: ‘Once again we are delighted to share the creative eye and humanistic approach of two of our latest Scottish directorial talents; Anne Milne and Duncan Cowles. Adventures in Dementia is a life-affirming, inspiring and quirky film which takes us into the ever challenging world of dementia.

‘All Aboard pokes at our curiosity about the stormy overnight ferry crossing between Aberdeen and Shetland. Both films will create a new shade to our perception of our internal and external world.’

Leslie Finlay, executive producer, Screen Scotland, said: ‘This is Scotland provides a magnificent platform to see work from some of the best new documentary voices in Scotland and this year is no exception. The heart-warming Adventures in Dementia by Anne Milne and the wonderful All Aboard by Duncan Cowles are two timely and thought-provoking films which continue the strong tradition of the This is Scotland programme and we look forward to sharing them with a Scotland-wide audience.’

This is Scotland is co-funded by STV and Screen Scotland, with support from the University of Edinburgh.

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