Christmas has come early for the Gaelic short film competition, FilmG, with a record-breaking number of entries submitted by filmmakers across Scotland and beyond.  

In total, 162 films have been entered across the 2023 short film competitions, resulting in the highest number of submissions since the competition began in 2008.  

FilmG tasks filmmakers of all ages to create short films in Gaelic based on a different theme each year, this year’s theme being ‘Mo Shealladh’ (My Point of View). The competition and surrounding workshops and activities promotes the development of Gaelic storytellers, providing a path for budding filmmakers to enter the world of Gaelic media.  

FilmG Project Manager Megan Dale said:  

“This is Astar’s second year working with FilmG, and our aim was to enable as many people as possible to create a Gaelic short film whilst making the competitions as appealing as possible to teenagers and young adults. Working with industry experts, we facilitated over 50 FilmG workshops throughout Scotland and beyond, giving communities and schools the tools and confidence to tell their own narratives through short film production.   

This is the largest number of workshops FilmG has ever facilitated, and you can see the positive impact of these workshops in the quality and number of FilmG entries. Many FilmG nominees and winners go on to work professionally within the film and TV industry, so it’s reassuring to see such an appetite for Gaelic storytelling. The future of Gaelic media is looking bright.”  

MG ALBA’s Brands Communication Manager Alison Macdonald said:   

“Congratulations to all the filmmakers who entered this year’s FilmG. The standard is incredibly high and it’s great to see a range of entries from all corners of Scotland. We’ve also had several entries from the Isle of Man and Canada, showing an increased international interest and reinforcing the interest in Gaelic language and culture overseas. Undoubtedly, the FilmG16 Awards ceremony will be the biggest we’ve seen so far and we can’t wait to celebrate the incredible wealth of Gaelic media talent with friends and colleagues in February 2024.”  

The FilmG team is processing the entries before they are available to view on the FilmG website later this month. A panel of independent judges in the media profession will then choose the shortlists of nominees in January 2024, with winners being announced at the FilmG Awards ceremony in Glasgow on Friday, 23 February 2024.