Director promises Hebridean hoolie if movie, Limbo, wins big at the Scottish Baftas

The director of the island movie leading the Bafta Scotland nominations has pledged to celebrate any success in the Hebrides.

Limbo, the acclaimed comedy drama set on the Western Isles, has earned five nominations in this year’s prestigious TV and film awards ceremony.

A planned Hebridean premiere was delayed by the pandemic restrictions, but the team said if they win any awards at next month’s ceremony, they’ll be taking them to the islands for a proper celebration.

And filmmaker Ben Sharrock said he and fellow producers Irune Gurtubai and Angus Lamont want to stage a special screening of the movie on the Uist islands to thank locals for their help making the film.

He said: “We’ve still not had the experience of showing it there with the people that worked on it because of the nature of the pandemic.

“But that will be amazing when we get to do that and share the success and the recognition of the last year and a half with them.

“If we were to win any of the Scottish Baftas, we’d definitely be taking those Bafta heads to the screening on Uist.”

The movie, about a Syrian musician living on the Hebrides going through the asylum process, was one of the most talked about movies of the film festival circuit and had been accepted to Cannes before its Covid-related cancellation.

Released in British cinemas this summer, it was hailed as one of the best Scottish movies ever made, and nominated for two UK film Baftas. Limbo is now up for Best Film at the Scottish Baftas, Sharrock is nominated for Best Writer and Best Director, while actors Amir El Masry and Vikash Bhai are both nominated for their roles.

Edinburgh-born Sharrock said: “They couldn’t be more deserving of their nominations, the two of them were absolutely perfect in the film and they both put so much work into it, it’s brilliant to see them get that recognition.”

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The film, now streaming on home entertainment service Mubi, was inspired by Sharrock’s student year spent living in Damascus before the Syrian civil war erupted.

He’s been heartbroken by the thousands of deaths and displacement in the country he loves and channelled that into his story about one man trying to cope with grief and loss while adjusting to life in Scotland.

Sharrock added: “One of the great things about the journey of the film and its continued recognition is that we wanted to spotlight the issues around the refugee crisis and the situation for refugees in Scotland and the UK in general.

“We keep getting contacted by more and more people that have been through the asylum system and refugee organisations saying the film has impacted them and they want to use the film as well.

“Getting Bafta Scotland nominations is another step to helping get this film out there to as many people as possible.”

Ben admitted he and fellow producer, and wife, Irune Gurtubai, are unlikely to make the ceremony themselves as they have busy plans of their own at home in the Basque country in Spain next month.

He revealed: “Irune is having a baby, due at the beginning of November, so I’m busy trying to get as far ahead with writing the next screenplay as possible before the baby arrives.

“Irune is definitely not going to be able to go to the Scottish Baftas, and I’m playing it by ear depending on when the baby arrives. Hopefully Amir and Vikash will be there so we’ll be well represented.”