Helensburgh Advertiser | News | Rock on for Garelochhead says Bafta winner

Wednesday, 7th January, 2009

Published: Sunday, 16th November, 2008 09:30

Rock on for Garelochhead says Bafta winner

By Fiona Howard

BAFTA Award-winning director Kenneth Glenaan harbours an ambition to make a film about Garelochhead.

Better known in the area as Kenneth Grant, he was named top director at the weekend’s Scottish BAFTAs for his work Summer, starring Robert Carlyle, which also took the best film award.

But Kenneth said this week: “I really want to make a film about Garelochhead. It’s a fantastic opportunity to document the expansion and demise of the village at the same time.

“With the MoD influence being down-sized, the ‘Navy scheme’, originally built to house MoD workers, has been taken over by the council and houses an overspill from Glasgow.

“So, it is interesting to see the urban rubbing shoulders with the country and the tensions and surprises that throws up. There is a great story there!”

He continued: “Of course, it has a rich history. During World War Two, it had a PoW camp and a lot of people stayed on after the war ended. I grew up with friends with names like Skudos, Svaski, Riebatric.

“It is interesting with the current debate about not allowing Asylum Seekers into the country on the grounds that they are different. Garelochhead proves it can work and has been doing for years. Rock on Garelochhead!”

Kenneth, who was born in Helensburgh but brought up in Garelochhead, attended St Joseph’s School in Helensburgh and then St Patrick’s High. He was a joiner with DL Gall and Son before taking an interest in drama.

He got his first taste of drama from Helensburgh woman Pamela Randal who ran a theatre workshop on Saturday mornings.

He said: “I was 21 and everyone else was 12 to 16. I was a late starter!” “Pamela Randall was very encouraging and organised an audition for the Scottish Youth Theatre summer school during the Edinburgh Festival.

“She is a great teacher and I have very fond memories of her. She bought me a book on Shakespeare for my 21st birthday, which I still have, and was dipping into just last week, as I may be directing Titus Andronicus fairly soon.”

Now a father himself, Kenneth visits Garelochhead regularly. He said: “I take my kids up there and show them around, where I used to hang out, although not as much as I would like to.

“I have no immediate family left in Garelochhead but I have several generations of relatives buried in the local Faslane cemetery.

“I have lots of very close friends still in the village and in Helensburgh — great people who managed to come to and be part of the premiere of ‘Summer’ at the Edinburgh Film Festival. I was really proud that they were part of it.”

Robert Carlyle took the gong for the best actor at the Edinburgh Film Festival and the work lifted the Best Film title at the Rome Film Festival.

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