Union critical of Festival

BECTU has criticised the Edinburgh International Film Festival over screening the Flying Scotsman which failed to pay its crew.

The Festival has decided to headline on 14 August with the ill-fated Flying Scotsman film, which went bust, owing the crew who worked on the production thousands of pounds in unpaid wages.

Scottish Screen, the controversial screen agency in Scotland, has refused to hand over almost £200,000 in promised funding, which would have allowed the crew to be paid.

The financiers of the film are touting for distribution, while ignoring crew calls for payment.

BECTU is urging the Edinburgh International Film Festival, and distributors, not to take on the film, unless written guarantees are given that any income goes to pay crew wages.