“Look: this exists.
“It’s not in my imagination, it exists and here people are in it’.”
This was the verdict of popular filmmaker and former BBC broadcaster, Lesley Riddoch, who brought her latest film, ‘Denmark The State of Happiness’ to the Duthac Centre, Tain on the 27th of May.
The event, organised by ‘Yes’ Ross Sutherland, received a near capacity turnout of around 100 people.
The film, described by Riddoch as a “tantalising glimpse of what Scotland could look like…
And what we deserve”, offered viewers details of Denmark, allowing viewers the opportunity to compare that Nordic nation with the opportunities open to an independent Scotland.
Among the topics covered were the differences in the education system, which allows for a more hands-on approach to learning.
It further discussed Denmark’s use of renewable energy and how the same strategy could be used in an Independent Scotland.
However, among the more controversial policies outlined were Denmark’s employment laws and changes to the retirement age in an attempt to benefit the economy.
When asked what motivated her to make the film, Riddoch said:
“People need a coloured, fleshy, detailed, believable, 3D vision of a country …. It’s definitely saying, ‘look: this exists.
“It’s not in my imagination, it exists and here people are in it’.”
Whilst Denmark has always been an independent country, it draws parallels to Scotland with its size, having a similar population but a smaller land mass.
Riddoch has previously made similar films describing life in Estonia, Iceland, Norway and the Faroe Islands.
When asked of the future of Scotland, Riddoch said she was unsure when Scotland would gain independence.
However, she stated that:
“At the moment, all I see is a very cautious SNP that seems to be a bit frightened of its own shadow, and a lot of very frustrated people who don’t want to criticise the only party of independence.”
