While places like Loch Ness have a massive draw for visitors, sometimes they need a little help to remind potential tourists just how fantastic a place Scotland is to visit. Now, it looks as though just the thing is on the horizon, with a new Disney film coming out in August 2012 that is set in the Scottish Highlands. ‘Brave’ is the story of Merida, a girl who mistakenly unleashes chaos upon the land when she impetuously defies an age-old custom. In order to fix this, she must discover the true meaning of bravery before it is too late.
When films like ‘Braveheart’ are released, they mark a huge rise in people’s awareness of the magic of Scotland and tourism increases greatly. Hopefully ‘Brave’ will have the same effect on the country’s tourism numbers, encouraging people to search for Scottish getaways after playing a game or two of Partypoker. Not that Scotland’s tourism industry needs a boost any more than any other area at the moment, as the Highlands and Islands especially have proved to be impressively resilient in recent difficult times for the tourism industry.
Some of the characters in this film will be voiced by Scottish actors and actresses, to ensure that it has an authentic feel. The heroine Merida will be voiced by Kelly Macdonald, a Scottish actress known for appearing in Trainspotting, No Country for Old Men and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. The film also features the voices of Robbie Coltrane, Emma Thompson, Julie Walters and Billy Connolly. It was directed by Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman, who co-wrote the screenplay with Irene Mecchi. VisitScotland has announced that 2012 to 2014 will be the Winning years for Scotland, and this film will no doubt have something to do with that.
