To Live in Edinburgh

Since coming to Scotland for various reasons (camping, friend in Glasgow and Edinburgh) but coinciding for the Edinburgh International Film Festival and, I have been here an entire week, today was the first day I did a marathon. Previously I had planned to watch, as it worked out, a film a day (it's expensive). Today i watched 3, and will see the 4th in an hour. I was in Glasgow 4 days ago when i met the director of a short film screening here and she told me about the delegates Pass which is for- people who have something screening. I shot something that's screening... did that count? The Concretes music video had screened as part of Mirrorball and David Mullet, the director, wasn't coming. I got to Edinburgh and wanted a quiet night in so didn't bother to go out that night. The next day I had to do some work in the afternoon for the project next week. In the evening I helped my friend Stephan shoot a gig at the Spielgal Tent, which was fun (there i missed my second film). Yesterday I came out and met Kate who i met in Glasgow at the Delegates Centre where- I inquired about getting a pass and- they said they would sort me out in the morning.

I wasn't sure what i was doing there as I didn't really know Kate and had barely spoken to here before. I did, somehow, manage to speak to a composer and then the director for a short film about a Palestinian Refugee living in Glasgow. In the evening I managed to get a sold out ticket to see To Die in Jerusalem and also to speak and exchange details with the director. I went home and saw John Pilger's The War on Democracy, which I tried to get tickets for 2 months ago in London but couldn't. It had been a good day spent in a city where I only knew one person, who I didn't even see the entire day. The Filmhouse (main venue) even serve bacon roll (staple British film shoot breakfast) in the morning.

I had gone to Glen Nevis and rained nearly the entire time i was there. I had missed my first two scheduled films. I got passed over on a music video (because the commissioning person wanted her boyfriend to shoot it- not because of the director). I was getting ripped off at the local wireless internet cafe. The time up seemed to be a mild disappointment after another. And then I met some directors of interest and a free pass- that includes free wireless access...

I have to add. It is evidently nice to be a 'guest' of the festival. And the apparent 'glamorous' aspect which goes along with it is lost with me. While here, watching a series of politically thematic documentaries, it has increased my own will to shoot and become involved in these projects. The juxtaposition of watching a film about the struggle and frustration of people and then walking out into one of the nicest cinemas in the UK. Talking to directors about the Palestinian/Israeli conflict in nice bars/cafes. It reminds me of The Front Lines Club of where serious issues in Journalism are discussed within the confines of a very nice members only club. I am not in criticism, but I do find it interesting how seemingly the most pertinent of the worlds political issues discussed by the people that are actively involved are discussed within safe, comfortable and established interiors. Though it is clearly not for this reason or purpose but perhaps the dynamics work; that from a safe environment alien to a war ravaged country, it would be easier to discuss the latter, from the third perspective.

I have an entry about the camping which will be posted with the photos i took that day, which i will post next time.


One more thing. It's been just over a year since I started this blog. Apart from one person, I don't even know who's reading it (the one person isn't me).

- J