The Happy Lands

EDM number 681 in 2013-14, proposed by Lindsay Roy on 06/11/2013.
Categorised under the topics of Cultural heritage, Industry and Performing arts.

That this House congratulates Theatre Workshop Scotland and film director Robert Rae on the ground-breaking film The Happy Lands; commends the active involvement of members of local mining communities in Fife in rediscovering and recording a key time in their local history; notes that the film presents powerful stories about the UK's industrial heritage during the 1926 General Strike; applauds the engagement of so many local people in all aspects of making the film, from performing to set and costume design; warmly welcomes such collaborative, community-based film-making; encourages other communities to follow Robert Rae's lead in offering the film industry a genuine alternative methodology for film-making; acknowledges with gratitude that, with the negative impact of the recession in Fife, the making of The Happy Lands played a real part in transforming lives by investing in local work experience, jobs, enterprise and education; is delighted that the film has been selected for the 2013 Glasgow Film Festival, the 2013 Beijing International Film Festival, the 2013 Rennes Travelling Festival, the British Council's UK Now Festival in China and the National Schools Film Week Festival; further notes that it has recently been entered for the BAFTA Scotland Audience Award 2013; believes the film deserves to be shown to the widest possible audience; and thanks the director and producers of The Happy Lands for screening the film within the Palace of Westminster.

This motion has been signed by a total of 14 MPs.