Red carpet beware, Our Ladies may be on the way next year

Marli Siu, Sally Messham, Rona Morison, Tallulah Greive, and Abigail Lawrie, in a scene from Our Ladies, a comedy film by Michael
Caton-Jones, set in the 1990s about six Catholic school girls travelling to Edinburgh for a choir competition — Marli Siu, Sally Messham, Rona Morison, Tallulah Greive, and Abigail Lawrie, in a scene from Our Ladies, a comedy film by Michael Caton-Jones, set in the 1990s about six Catholic school girls travelling to Edinburgh for a choir competition

It might be too late for this year’s Baftas but, if the early buzz is anything to go by, Our Ladies could be hitting the red carpet next year.

Bookies believe tonight’s ceremony will be dominated by First World War drama 1917, nominated for nine awards and a passion project for director and co-writer Sam Mendes.

Our Ladies is a similar passion project for its co-writer and director Michael Caton-Jones, who bought the film rights 20 years ago for the novel on which the movie is based.

It will receive its Scottish premiere at the Glasgow Film Festival later this month, ahead of a general release in April.

The 90s-set coming-of-age story follows the teenage choirgirls of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour on a day trip from their port town in the Highlands to a singing competition in Edinburgh. The gang of six girls heading for the big city at the back of the bus, however, are more interested in having a good time in the capital than a singing contest.

Marli Siu plays devious Kayla in the comedy, which is based on Alan Warner’s novel, The Sopranos.

“This was such a passion project for Michael, he’s been trying to make it since the 90s,” Marli said. “We were all aware of how much it meant to him and he’d been living with the script and characters for so long.”

Marli auditioned for Our Ladies while shooting another film, Run, which also receives its Scots premiere at the Glasgow Film Festival ahead of a wider release.

Run is set in Fraserburgh and steeped in the image of Bruce Springsteen’s songs of growing up and growing old in a small town.

It is writer-director Scott Graham’s third film and Marli plays Kelly, the pregnant girlfriend of the main character’s teenage son.

Growing up in Forres, Run’s plot was one familiar to Marli.

“Kelly loves her town and loves kids, but I also know how it feels to want to leave.”

Marli moved to London, where she has just completed work on a National Theatre production of Neil Gaiman’s Ocean At The End Of The Lane to pursue her career.

Run is at Glasgow Film Festival on Mar 1-2 and nationwide from Mar 13.

Our Ladies is at Glasgow Film Festival on Feb 28-29 and cinemas nationwide from Apr 24.

Glasgow Film Festival runs from Feb 26-Mar 8.