Programme

Fishernet Orkney will take place over 3 days FRI 31 JULY – SUN 02 AUG.

Please use the pull-down menus on the left  to see details of each day.

Coastal Culture on the big screen

The weekend event launches on Friday 31 JULY with an evening reception at West Side Cinema, followed by the Norwegian feature film COASTAL LIFE. The film is a warm and often humorous insight into some of the people that live along the coast of Norway. Director Øyvind Sandberg is one of Norway’s most productive documentarians, directing several award-winning productions over the years. The film will be supported by three short films: animations PINNIPÈDES and I LIKE IT WHEN YOUR GONE, and the experimental SURFACE by local filmmaker Mark Jenkins.

On Saturday afternoon there will be a collection of Scottish Screen Archive films depicting fishing, boat building and life on the sea. CALLER HERRIN’ (1947) follows the herring fishing from Shetland to Yarmouth, SHAPES IN THE WATER (1974) is a lyrical depiction of Highland boat-building from director Bill Forsyth, while BANK AHEAD (1963) is a topic close to Orcadian hearts. The award winning film about the Otter Bank sees accountant William Groat and skipper David Irvine serve the islands of Orkney as a floating bank. The film will be followed by a talk by Jack Drever, secretary of Orkney Historic Boat Society, about the restoration of the Otter Bank.

The evening film on Saturday, THERE WILL BE OIL, is an award winning Norwegian documentary about the oil industries desire to drill for oil along the coast of Norway, and how environmental organisations fought back. The film will be supported by the Catalonian short film THE FISH TAMER.

Sundays closing film is a 40th anniversary screening of the blockbuster JAWS. Directed by Steven Spielberg, the 1975 release is regarded as a watershed moment in motion picture history as it was the highest grossing film at that time. The film has been digitally remastered and will be projected in high definition. A multi-award winning animation ‘BOTTLE’ will screen in support.

But Fishernet Orkney isn’t just about film, there will be many accompanying events happening around the town and all free of charge.

Stromness Museum is hosting two events. On Saturday morning zooarchaeologist Dr. Jennifer Harland (UHI) will give a talk – FROM THE FISH MIDDENS TO THE HERRING: 1,000 YEARS OF FISHING IN ORKNEY. Jen will use the rich evidence from Orkney’s archaeological digs to illustrate Orkney’s role in the North Atlantic, encompassing the legacy of the Viking deep-sea fishing, the importance of sillocks and piltocks, and the recent rise and fall of the herring industry. On Sunday morning curator Janette Park will present ‘PER MARE: STROMNESS – SUSTAINED BY THE SEA’. Janette will take a close look at the cultural foundations of Stromness through objects held in the museum collections.

On Sunday afternoon there will be a series of activities at the Pierhead; Orkney Fishermen’s Society will be in the tent at The Ferry Inn with free samples, there will be a tour of the RNLI lifeboat, Orkney Yole Association will take people out in their yoles for a sail around the harbour, and the European Federation of Sea Anglers are hosting a Parade of Flags & Official Opening Ceremony for their week long European Boat & Line Championships.

Fishernet Orkney runs FRI 31 JULY – SUN 02 AUGUST. Film programmes at West Side Cinema, Stromness Town Hall cost £5/£3 under 16’s. All other events are free. Fishernet Orkney is run by West Side Cinema with financial support from Orkney Islands Council Culture Fund and Aquatera.