Trainspotting's Welsh gets Twitter 'Filthy' for Cannes

BRUSSELS (AFP) - Twitter and Irvine Welsh, the iconic Trainspotting author, are undeniably made for each other.

Welsh, whose latest film adaptation Filth will be shown to potential distributors in Cannes on Saturday, has taken to the micro-blogging site with alacrity, saying it helps him with the writing process.

The author proved his gift for memorable one-liners long before the age of Twitter with the now-cult "choose life" monologue from his 1993 debut Trainspotting. The oft-quoted speech lampooned a government anti-drugs campaign and was later immortalised by a young Ewan McGregor in Danny Boyle's 1996 film adaption of the book.

Welsh's Twitter following suggests he has not lost his touch: @WelshIrvine counts some 75,000 followers and his account stands at nearly 22,000 tweets.