Warm reception for New Scots film shot in North Ayrshire

Shot in locations including Ardrossan and Largs, Different Ways was created by refugees from Ukraine and Syria and looks at the difficulties of adjusting to life in a new country.

And the invite-only premiere got a warm reception from the audience.

It follows lead character Stepan, who is new to Scotland and takes a journey through the countryside.

Stepan, played by Ukrainian Oleksandr Chmut, comes across different characters along the way and things don't quite go to plan as he makes his way to a university open day.

He is forced to change plans, take a different path on his travels and interact with people he would not normally engage with.

The movie was directed by Max McGregor and also stars Lana Shvorak, Maddie McGregor, Nell McGregor, Rana Tatar and Daniel Kerr.

The whole project was very much a collaborative effort, with creative young people from across North Ayrshire teaming up with friends in the New Scots community.

After the screening, Ukranian Oleksandr, who has now lived in North Ayrshire for a year and a half, told the audience: "It is the first time I have acted. I pretty much based Stepan on my own personality.

"I'd be really happy to get involved in another project like this. I don't see acting as my professional career, but who knows?

"I hope it gets put on social media and that people from Scotland and also from Ukraine get to see it."

Lana, also from Ukraine, added: "This project really helped me and the others with team building. I didn't really like doing the scene where I had to ask Oleksandr for his phone number - which is ironic because I created that scene.

"I am more of a person to write rather than act. I get quite shy in front of a camera..."

The short film also stars actor Daniel Kerr - best known for The Wee Man, Doctor Who and Outlander - as the Ardrossan bus driver.

The bus scenes were made possible thanks to the kind support of Three Towns transport company Coast To Coast.

Max revealed filming in Ardrossan was regularly interrupted by No 11 buses, while other scenes were hampered by torrential downpours. But the team were delighted with the end product.

The film was written by Max, Oleksandr, Lana, Joseph McIntosh, Archie Nelson, Rawan Idlebi, Rana, Layla Russell and Lucy Russell, who is a locality link worker with the New Scots team.

Valuable contributions to the project were also made by Artem Mosiichuk, Anton Mukovoz, Sofia Medvedchuk, Mariana Al Shrayteh, Mariam Bandakji and Shiraz Al Dieri.

The full film should be released online in the coming weeks.