Launch! On The Sea With Scotland’s Lifeboats dives into archive footage of RNLI crews, with an immersive soundtrack from some of the UK’s most exciting contemporary musicians.
Directed by award-winning curator Shona Thomson, the film has been two years in the making with unprecedented access to the RNLI’s own archives. 1920s film is woven with 1960s colour promos and breath-taking digital video captured by RNLI crews’ 21st century helmet cameras whilst out on the wild sea. Launch! celebrates the dedication of Scotland’s volunteer crews and the communities that support them including a glimpse of the RNLI station at South Queensferry.

This afternoon’s screening will be preceded by a talk from Maggie Quayle (RNLI Community Presenter and Education Volunteer) exploring the history of the RNLI and unique, front-line insights in to life at Queensferry station. Director Shona Thomson will join us to introduce this special event and the screening will be followed by a pre-recorded ‘blether’ with: Shona; one of the film’s soundtrack composer/performers Jenny Sturgeon; RNLI Tobermory’s Lifeboat Operations Manager Dr Samantha Jones; and Eleanor Driscoll – the RNLI’s Senior Production Specialist who leads the team looking after the organisation’s film and image archive for the whole of the UK.

Launch! is screening as part of St Andrews Fair Saturday: a day devoted to culture, social causes and the celebration of St Andrew’s Day. Through a programme of events and activities right across the country, St Andrew’s Fair Saturday contributes to the global Fair Saturday movement and the celebration of St Andrew’s Day and is a key component of a co-ordinated drive to boost social inclusion, fairness and sharing inspired by Scotland’s National Day.  St Andrew’s Fair Saturday is a Scottish Government initiative delivered by the Fair Saturday Foundation.