Join us for Opening Night of the first-ever Montrose LandxSea Film Fest for an unforgettable night of cinema and sustainability.

BUY TICKETS

6:30pm VIP Reception

Join us in the Playhouse's Reel Bar to meet Festival filmmakers and special guests to kick-off the 2023 Festival. Includes a complimentary glass of fizz and light bites provided by Rae's.

7:30pm UK PREMIERE: THE GOLDEN THREAD

Delve into Bengal's disappearing jute industry with Nishtha Jain's mesmerising documentary. The Golden Thread beautifully captures the arduous journey of jute production, from riverside reed cutting to the rhythmic clatter of century-old looms in historical mills – machinery originally built in Dundee. This serves as a poignant reminder of our region's historical ties to the jute trade. This film is not just a recounting of history; it's a cinematic tribute to the workers whose lives are as richly woven as the golden threads they produce. Amid the striking visuals emerges a pressing plea for sustainability, as this eco-friendly alternative to plastic faces an uncertain future shadowed by dwindling state support. As the mills close, the fate of the dedicated workers hangs in the balance. Don't miss this captivating opening night premiere — a testament to our region's rich history and a probing look at resilience in the face of change. (Directed by Nishtha Jain, India/Bosnia-Herzegovina/Netherlands/Norway/UK, 86 min)

In Bengali and Hindi with English subtitles.

The screening will be followed by a live onstage Q&A with filmmaker Nishtha Jain and Mel Ruth Oakley, Collections Curator for Dundee Heritage Trust.

About the filmmaker: 

Nishtha Jain is an award-winning filmmaker from Mumbai, known for exploring gender, caste, and class through films like Gulabi Gang (2012), Lakshmi and Me (2007), and City of Photos (2004). Trained at the Jamia Mass Communication Research Centre, New Delhi, and the Film & Television Institute of India, Pune, Jain's works are celebrated globally. Her accolades include a Chicken+Egg award (2020) and membership in the Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences (AMPAS). 

Mel Ruth Oakley is the Collections Curator for Dundee Heritage Trust where she cares for and manages the Recognised Collections for Verdant Works and the Royal Research Ship Discovery. Mel is currently working projects to prevent skill loss for operating historical working machinery and preserve the story of Jute in Dundee from the late 1940’s to the closure of the last mill in Dundee. 

With short film:

By Leaves We Live

Young voices amplify this striking visual art installation in the Gorbals Rose Garden, created in collaboration with students from St. Francis and Blackfriars Primary Schools for COP26. (Directed by Basharat Khan, UK, 1 min)

About the filmmaker: 

Basharat Khan, a Scottish filmmaker, photographer, and visual artist, focuses on visual representation, multiculturalism, migration, and the human definition of home. He has worked in Scotland and abroad on collaborative projects exploring the experiences of people and place. Passionate about media education, Khan also runs filmmaking and art workshops. www.bashartcreative.com

Festival Opening Night tickets are £25 and include the VIP Reception and Film Premiere.

All proceeds support the Montrose Playhouse SCIO, a community-owned cinema and arts venue and registered Scottish Charity.

Thank you to the Scottish Centre of Tagore Studies (SCoTS) for their generous sponsorship of this event.

Thank you to our catering partner: