Irvine Welsh? He's not even Scottish - 'Ecstasy' director tells of gaffe by arts chiefs

THE director of the big screen version of Irvine Welsh's novel Ecstasy claimed last night he has been forced to make the film in Canada because of "obstructions" put in his way by Scotland's film body.

Award-winning Canadian director Rob Heydon is due to begin filming the novel, set in Edinburgh and Dunfermline, on Monday.

He said Scottish Screen, which became Creative Scotland in July, "scuppered" the project and at one stage maintained that the Leith-born Trainspotting author was not Scottish.