Lost in France

Niall McCann's documentary celebrates the legacy of the fiercely independent record label Chemikal Underground. Founded in Glasgow in the mid-1990s, the Scots imprint launched the careers of Mogwai, Arab Strap, the Delgados and Bis, who brought crossover success to the DIY label after appearing on Top of the Pops. In 1997, at the invitation of a French promoter, some of the bands were invited to play a festival in Mauron, Brittany. Eighteen years later, McCann follows label boss Stewart Henderson, Franz Ferdinand frontman Alex Kapranos (who once plied his trade as singer in the Karelia), solo artist Emma Pollock and friends as they get back on the bus to retake that journey. The intimate shows they put on in the town are punctuated by recollections of the original festival - some of which are as fuzzy as the VHS recordings from that time. The event itself may not be the stuff of gig-going legend, but it allows the players to renew old friendships and reflect on how Chemikal Underground has shaped their lives, and it's this aspect of McCann's film that proves the most resonant.