There’s no question that cinema has changed in the 55 years since Brig printed its first issue. Back then the dusty dunes seen in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance kid captured imaginations with its burly leads and gritty violence. But today, a tale of femininity, girlhood, and dolls beat out the competition to become the highest grossing film of last year.
Yet throughout Brig’s existence, one thing has remained fixed in the diary. Film Festivals are a large part of this section and have been many writers gateway into the film community. Whether they are grand, beach-front affairs tightly packed with industry heavy weights or scattered groups in a tiny screening, Brig writers have been there telling students what to see for 55 years.
After the closure of the Edinburgh Filmhouse, the Scottish film community let out collective groan. It’s no secret that Arts funds have been slowly chipped away by a rotating door of tory cabinets, and the Filmhouse’s closure felt like an indirect victim of these persistent cuts.
But with Edinburgh International Film Festival making a triumphant, if reduced, return to the circuit last august, and Glasgow Film Festival turning 25 this February, there is still hope. We just need to nurture it, or risk losing it forever.
Brig certainly looks forward to supporting Glasgow Film Festival once again this year, we’ll hopefully see you there.
Featured Image credit: EIFF
Film and Tv Editor at Brig Newspaper. Currently studying Journalism and English at the University of Stirling
