One of the world’s most prolific directors visits Aberdeen today (Wednesday, November 21) to pass on his movie know-how to Scotland’s current crop of budding Danny Boyles.
Ten lucky film students have been benefiting from the insights of Raul Ruiz, the University of Aberdeen's recently appointed Professor of Film and Modern Thought.
The fourth-year undergraduate students are in the midst of a six-week drama film production masterclass series taught by Chilean director Ruiz, who has over 100 films to his name.
It is one of the few times in the UK where a leading art house film director has taught an undergraduate honours course at a mainstream University, rather than a specialist film school.
In addition to his teaching commitments, Ruiz will also be appearing at an ambitious new University event celebrating the art of the filmmaker - The Director's Cut.
In collaboration with Scottish Screen, the series includes 'In Conversation' events with Ruiz; Scottish screenwriter Allan Shiach (who writes under the pen name Allan Scott) and Penny Woolcock, whose latest film Exodus - a modern day re-working of the Biblical epic - was recently screened on Channel 4.
Ruiz is the first of the trio to take the stage, and will appear at King's College Conference Centre on November 27 at 6pm. His vast filmography include Le Temps retrouve (1999), with screen diva Catherine Deneuve and Klimt(2006), a film based on the scandalous life of Austrian painter Gustav Klimt, starring John Malkovich.
"Film Studies at the University has been completely redesigned and it is tremendously exciting to have someone of Raul's pedigree here in Aberdeen passing on his vast experience to the students," said Alan Marcus, Reader in Film and Visual Culture at the University.
"It's a chance in a lifetime to be able to learn from such an accomplished filmmaker, so we're equally delighted to have Raul for the opening event of the Director's Cut series which we hope will become a regular fixture in years to come."
To book free tickets and for more information about the Director's Cut visit: http://www.abdn.ac.uk/directorscut/