Glasgow's music scene is one of the UK's most important cultural exports and has produced some of the country's most enduring and successful bands.

For many, the peak of this creativity was in the 1990s as bands such as Mogwai, The Delgados, Arab Strap and Bis gave their take on an indie scene dominated by Britpop behemoths.

While few of the stars of that Glasgow scene went on to megastardom, they have become a source of inspiration to many musicians.

Now a documentary from Irish director Niall McCann is paying tribute to an influential yet relatively undocumented period in Scottish music.

Lost in France centres on an unusual trip many of the bands took to the French village of Mauron to to play a small local festival.

Emma Pollock, singer of The Delgados and founder of label Chemikal Underground, was instrumental in the journey.

"Most of them were connected to Chemikal Underground in some way", she said.

The Delgados had been invited by festival organiser Davide the year before and when the chance came to go back to the Breton commune they brought many of the scene's best bands with them.

"We had Arab Strap, Mogwai, Magoo, The Karelia (featuring Franz Ferdinand's Alex Kapranos) and it was just an absolutely fantastic chance for all of us to go to France and we were all up for it."

The film follows the bands on their road trip to France and takes some of those who were involved back to the village for a special show 18 years later.

Pollock, who was joined by Kapranos, Stuart Braithwaite of Mogwai and many others, said the return was both "sad and uplifting".

"Looking back on it you recognise this haze of an unreal, slightly dopey, shielded existence we had back then," she explained.

"It was simply, 'we want to be in music, we're in music, we're going to continue to do it'. It was a rather intoxicating time.

"There's a real slam of reality when you look back at that from 17 or 18 years on. So there's a sense of something lost but there to be cherished and the fruits of that time to be cherished."

As a founding member of Chemikal Underground alongside bandmates Stewart Henderson and Paul Savage, retracing the steps shown in the film also had a wider emotional meaning for her.

While The Delgados were able to tour around the world and secured publishing deals for all their albums, that option is not available for many bands who have formed since.

The music industry's troubles are well documented andPollock says the lack of money and support available for bands now is heartbreaking.

She said: "We've seen the arc of the industry, we've seen it peak in 2000 and then decline ever since."

"Three-quarters of the time Chemikal Underground has been formed has been an industry in decline.

"The first five years were astonishing in how productive and successful the artists were so quickly and then ever since 2000 we have been scratching our heads thinking 'this isn't right'.

"These artists who are amazing and get so much attention aren't selling records like they used to."

The rise of illegal downloading and later monetisation of streaming online has led to a devaluing of art, she said.

"This has never been about moaning about an income or a lifestyle changing," Pollock said.

"This is about the bar over which now an artist has be operating in order to call it their main choice.

"It has been raised so far now that its really the preserve of the major labels who are not willing to take artistic risks and those who are financially independent."

Chemikal Underground continues to play a major role in Glasgow's music scene, releasing new music from up-and-coming artists such as Miaox Miaox and Conquering Animal Sound over recent years alongside more established artists.

While the film's hook may be on the music created by thriving bands, the wit and friendship of Glasgow's scene is also celebrated.

"There's a real poignancy about it because you'll never be that age again," Pollock says.

"That seems a daft thing to say but it is important as this film is about friendship and how people can make something happen if there is enough will or spirit, which there certainly was."

Lost in France will be shown on February 21 as part of Glasgow Film Festival.

A special perfomance will follow the showing featuring a supergroup including Alex Kapranos of Franz Ferdinand, Stuart Braithwaite of Mogwai, RM Hubbert plus The Delgados' Emma Pollock and Paul Savage.

The screening and performance will be simulcast to cinemas across the UK and Ireland. Tickets are available here.