The Major Minor Cinema: Highlands and Islands Film Guild 1946-71 project is an innovative study of the impact of cinema on the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. This will be the first academic and historical study of what has been an overlooked period in the history of British cinema and culture.

The formation of the Highlands and Islands Film Guild continued a pre-war initiative of the Scottish Film Council to make non-commercial cinema available to rural areas through the substandard gauge of 16mm. This continued during WWII via the Ministry of Information and the Evacuation Film Scheme. The Film Guild was proposed to improve leisure facilities for remote communities, forming part of wider economic and cultural initiatives to bolster community activity, cohesion and recreation. It is a widely remembered but still unwritten part of Scottish cinema history, occupying a period stretching from before the advent of television and extending into its early penetration into these areas. The service was often delivered by travelling operators with the assistance of local communities in spaces such as village or school halls. Localised exhibition projection in spaces shared by the operators, projector and audience generated a unique kind of cinema-going experience.

The project is supported by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC).

An Orkney resident recounts her memories of the rural cinema scheme affiliated to the Highlands and Islands Film Guild:

"As a young person, I probably didn’t visit the Rural Cinema very much until I was around 10 years old, in 1955 (a notable exception to this was the showing of The Coronation, which was attended by entire families). Our family lived within walking distance of the Hall and, generally, we only had permission to go to ‘the pictures’ during the summer months, when it was daylight’ or when the content was deemed to be ‘suitable’. My recollection is that the film would start around 7.30, after most of the farm work was finished, however, if there was work to be done, such as hay-making, there was no question of such frivolity – from the very earliest age, we were all expected to lend a hand, in whatever way we could. It was unusual for our parents to come – the expense was a consideration, as was the ‘wark o’ the ferm’.

The benches, to the front of the audience, were invariably used by children. Perhaps it was just a child’s notion, but it seemed totally unthinkable for any child to sit to the rear, on a chair with a back. It was also considered customary for ‘posh’ folk to sit in the front row of chairs!

It must be remembered that, for almost everyone, certainly the local children, this was, indeed, our first and only experience of moving pictures – the motion and the sound were magical, hypnotic, totally engrossing. The only thing, even remotely comparable, might be a ‘magic lantern’ show, which we occasionally enjoyed.

I vividly remembered the anticipation, once we’d read the notice in Astley Cottage, our local shop, and ascertained which film would be showing. Of course, the next big hurdle was persuading our parents to allow us to go, to promise to work to earn the right to go, to argue that nine-pence wasn’t all that much, really."




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Do you remember the Highlands and Islands Film Guild? Would you be willing to share your memories with us?

Our team of researchers from the Universities of Glasgow and Stirling will be carrying out informal interviews and group discussions, holding creative writing workshops, and putting on special Film Guild programme screenings.

We would be delighted to hear from you if you wish to participate in our project in any way.

Keep up to date with all the news on our latest film screenings, writing workshops, and other events.