The film was shot in Shetland in January

Devil's Gate, starring Scottish actress Laura Fraser, has taken several years to reach the big screen.

The film-makers were initially refused assistance by Scottish Screen, which described the choice of location as "inhospitable".

Associate producer Les Lowes said: "There was criticism that it was here. It wasn't thought to be a hospitable place to have a film, but the film's main location was here and we shot it here in January."

World premiere

But there are hopes that it could be the first of a string of film productions in the area.

Devil's Gate is a dark thriller set in a fictional remote island community.

It was the first film to be made in the Shetland Islands since Sir Michael Powell's The Edge of the World.

Les Lowes: Associate producer of the film

That film was shot on Foula, which is located some 26 miles from the Shetland mainland.

There was some concern that Devil's Gate would not be licensed in time for its world premiere on Wednesday night.

However, the event is set to go ahead in Lerwick's Garrison Theatre on Wednesday.

The hope is that other filmmakers will be encouraged to use the location.