Generation Hope, a film about Mary’s Meals, will be shown in the festival’s Short Film Corner

A Scottish charity is to have a film documenting its work screened at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival.

Generation Hope – the story of international school child feeding charity Mary’s Meals – will form part of the programme at the 69th annual festival in May.

Filmed on location at Mary’s Meals’ projects in Malawi, Haiti and India, the uplifting half-hour documentary will be exhibited at the festival’s Short Film Corner, a platform for the work of up-and-coming short film directors and producers from around the world.

The documentary was directed by American director Charles Kinnane – who also directed the charity’s first, award-winning short film, Child 31, released in 2012 – and focuses on young people who, having received Mary’s Meals in school, are now contributing to building brighter futures for their communities and countries.

Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow, the founder and chief executive of Mary’s Meals, said the publicity the charity will now receive is beyond their imaginations.

“We are absolutely thrilled that this beautiful and inspiring film has been selected to be shown at Cannes,” he said.

“When we were filming Generation Hope, we couldn’t have imagined it would enjoy the exposure offered by such a high-profile international event. It’s an incredible gift to bring our work to new eyes, new ears, and new hearts in this way.”

Ahead of the Cannes Film Festival, Generation Hope received its official launch on Friday, 15 April, with première events taking place across six continents – including the European première in Glasgow.

Copies of the DVD are available in free Generation Hope screening packs available to order from the charity’s website with those who request one asked to stage a screening of them film in their communities.