CHARLES MARTIN Smith’s long-awaited film Stone Of Destiny is being premiered at the Cannes Film Festival this weekend.

The $11 million (£5.6 million) production, which features Robert Carlyle, Charlie Cox, Kate Mara and Billy Boyd, recounts the audacious removal of the stone from Westminster Abbey in 1950 and its discovery in Arbroath Abbey.

The film tells the story of Ian Hamilton, a dedicated nationalist who re-ignited Scottish national pride with his daring raid to bring the stone back to Scotland.

It is hoped film buffs and those interested in local history will consider visiting Arbroath to see at first hand where the story came to its dramatic culmination.

Arbroath councillor Jim Millar, himself a former manager of Arbroath Abbey, said, “When I was giving tours of the abbey to people, they were always interested in the Stone of Destiny’s stay in Arbroath and the story behind it.

“I’m really looking forward to the release of this film and I hope that it brings with it an increase in visitor numbers—not only to Arbroath, but to Angus as a whole.”

Stone Of Destiny will receive its UK premiere at the Edinburgh Film Festival next month.