Written by Jennie Gilbertson and Aline Gordon

Directed by Jennie Gilbertson

Scotland/1933/56mins

A cash grab, at worst propaganda, nostalgia and the “good old times” frequently find themselves utilised for ill will in contemporary cinema. But the preservation of film, particularly silent-era pieces outside of Hollywood, has a more nuanced and vital place in cinematic lineage. And with a revived screening of one of Glasgow-born Jenny Gilbertson’s most important films, The Rugged Isle: A Shetland Lyric, audiences are reconnected to our national identity as part of the Hippodrome Silent Film Festival 2024. 

Looking back to the early 1930s Shetland in this manner stirs not a polarising sense of nationalism nor a sentimental attempt at parting the audience with coin but an appreciation of one of Scotland’s pioneering filmmakers and a stern sense of awe at just how intricate and well-framed much of the cinematography and pacing of the film. Even with the absence of colour, the community and tone of the crofters of Shetland are evident, powerfully so. And this screening touchingly pays tribute to the hopes and curiosities of those who pondered a life away from the island, but never took the chance, in a resurgence of emotional irony as Hippodrome brings Shetland to the world’s doorstep. 

The cleanest, arguably simplest of narratives, The Rugged Island: A Shetland Lyric is a blurred barrier of documentary and fiction: a fabricated narrative which tells the story of a young couple swithering between emigration to Australia or remaining to work their croft in Shetland. The poignancy and heartfelt sentimentality of the narrative are no stretch from reality however as the harshness of crofting life pushed many to reconsider their lives in Scotland, peaking post-war in the 1920s. From kipper catching to farming to churning and harvesting, and one starkly intense lamb-rescue scene, Gilberton’s research and choices of inclusion in the film all add together to form a fully-fledged taster of crofting life, a fresh rebuttal of the ‘Hollywood’ romanticism of Scotland. 

A significant draw for the live event (and streaming) was the push to offer a fleshed-out sense of purpose for the screening, something HippFilmFest frequently excels in doing. Here, the film (which originally had narration from Philip Godfrey) is screened with a newly commissioned score from Fair Isle instrumentalist and composer Inge Thomson, brought to fruition with Shetland-born musician Catriona MacDonald. The composition, impressive and rich, manifests in a far more creative and narrative sense than backing music, with a fresh sound design which sparks to life the frozen sounds our imaginations can just about conjure; as clocks tick, radios tune, and the whirling winds breath with fresh life.

A pioneering piece, Gilbertson’s film survives in a period before the excessively sentimental narrative which lingers over the Highlands and Islands ‘fantastical’ and excessively romantic connotations. Yet, it is still a particularly sentimental piece, with a clear and concise element of belonging and identity. The use of local performers (with one professional role in Enga Stout) offers a truthful element and enables the documentary style of filmmaking to have authenticity. Still beautifully articulated and shot, even by contemporary standards, the time taken to both offer an insightful (and intrinsic) look at rural life does not mean the scale and enormity of Shetland is ignored. Shot, edited, scripted, and produced by Gilbertson, the measure of skill behind it all is nothing short of inspiring.  

Tender, locating the honesty in dramatization, and the beauty of Shetland in both landscape and history, The Rugged Island is deserving of its rich praise and esteem culturally and critically. Though a touching dramatisation, the performative nature (when left to the locals) brokers a solid validity in experience. Gilbertson’s is not a magnified film it finds itself rooted firmly in reality, but a truly exceptional demonstration of independent filmmaking from one of Scotland’s pioneering female filmmakers and is a name which should ring from da simmer dim of Shetland to the sun-drenched beaches of Australia.