Projects in genres: Scottish and with status: Post-production, Pre-production

Synopsis

A high energy, fast paced, tragic and comedic look, at a city changing beyond recognition. It's younger generation, fighting for self expression. Frank, a crooked businessman, runs; The Apollo. A venue in the heart of Glasgow, famous for the iconic bands it hosted. Supported by his cronies, mostly hoods and part time gangsters. Frank profits from the business but has no interest in its social significance. His 3 sons (all in their 20’s) are: Andy; training to be a priest, Mark; an ex-soldier, and Ian; Studying at University. Frank also has an illegitimate son called Beattie, who suffers from epilepsy. Each of the sons are very different and the film explores the character development of these young men over the space of 3 days and in the epilogue. Where the action jumps forward to 3 months later. The film incorporates live action (re-enactments) of gigs which took place at the time at the Apollo.

Synopsis

The story of Terry, a woman with no life beyond the ones she finds in her period romance books, and how she is forced into the real world when a glib comment at work causes her to punch the office misogynist, Kier, in the face. While everything in her screams to apologise and restore the status quo of the office, she can’t help but notice that things are better for everyone after the punch. Maybe things shouldn’t go back to the way they were? Needing someone to confide in, Terry finds an unlikely ally in nerdy introvert neighbour, Ember, who challenges Terry to lean into this newfound fierceness. Fight for more changes, small as they may be. Even put down the demure romances and pick up some epic fantasy. In order for the shy and mousey Terry to stand her ground and champion the changes she wants to see in the office, she must step away from the wall and be like the main characters she finds in her books. And she needs to do so fast, because Kier wants a rematch. Fantasy begins to bleed into reality as the office becomes grounds for the ultimate battle.

Synopsis

The remarkable true story of six working-class Scots who created some of the most enduring and influential soul and funk music of the 20th century. Rising from the clubs of Scotland to the top of the U.S. Billboard charts, Average White Band’s journey is one of extraordinary talent, cultural crossover, and resilience. Just as global fame beckoned, tragedy struck with the sudden death of drummer Robbie McIntosh - a devastating loss that would change the band forever. Featuring electrifying archive performances and intimate new interviews with the surviving band members, alongside contributions from Chaka Khan, Michael McDonald, Mark Ronson, DJ Premier, Questlove, Chuck D, and Flavor Flav - the film explores how AWB, as one of the most sampled bands in history, left an indelible mark on hip hop, R&B, and popular music - influencing generations of artists.

Synopsis

Filmed over seven years, this film humanises the life of a trans family as they navigate a culture war and rising political hostility towards trans rights. The film recounts the extraordinary story of a Yorkshire based businesswoman/amateur ballet dancer and her family as she battles to complete her transition while her rights to live in her new gender are increasingly called into question. It is a story of love and hope as Sophie and partner Sandi celebrate their achievements, overcome bureaucratic hurdles, have their fairytale wedding, and conceive a child. It’s a story of resilience as the family learns to deal with an outpouring of social media hatred. We share Sophie’s triumph as she gets the surgery that she’s waited years for and her alarm at a rise in transphobic hate crimes and a rollback of rights she thought were hers.

Synopsis

FBI agent Kaz Armstrong is investigating a strange case in the Highlands when she encounters a secretive Scottish family tasked with protecting a mysterious egg - one tied to the origins of the Loch Ness legend itself. But the egg is being hunted. A ghostly Jacobite boatman, bound to the loch by centuries-old forces, will stop at nothing to claim it and unleash its power. As danger closes in, Kaz must join forces with her unlikely allies to safeguard a secret that could change the world forever.

Synopsis

A punk exploration of the psyche, which follows alienated Dylan as he throws off the shackles of his solitary life in an attempt to experience the highs and lows of existence at its most extreme. Estranged from his sister Claire he embarks on a thrilling journey of self-discovery that proves both inspiring and terrifying.

Synopsis

A tenacious aspiring guru must go to extreme measures to pay off the debts he’s accrued from trying, and failing, to set up an online life-coaching business in a post-industrial Scottish town. Exploring the world of male influencer culture and how it might be affecting the young men who come into its orbit, SALVATION blends mounting tension, dark comedy and a forensic focus on its protagonist to explore the very modern story of a delusional life coach spiralling out of control.

Synopsis

Juliet awakens from a fever dream. How did we get here? The lines between hallucination and memory blur as cinema and dance collide in a kaleidoscopic journey of belonging, defiance, and self-discovery – A vivid retelling of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet brought to life by Scottish Ballet.

Synopsis

Nestled in the North Sea, between the Northern tip of Scotland and the coasts of Scandinavia, Hel is cloaked in mystery, myth and misogyny. Isolated in a place where the local community despise her, and whilst buried traumas resurface, Anna is torn between the ghosts of the past and the gods of the present. As an ill wind blows through, young girls from this fractured community begin to vanish. These missing children, her husband’s death and her own trauma become inextricably linked as Anna is haunted by unsettling flashbacks, forcing her to confront dark family secrets lurking in the shadows, before they can devour her daughter too.

Synopsis

Bel was a Kenyan-Scottish woman who dreamt of singing to the world. A musician, singer and writer, she performed under the stage name, Heir of the Cursed and in 2021 was on the cusp of fame. But just as the world was about to discover her name, Bel took her own life, leaving poignant video diaries and a phone full of amazing songs. A Kenyan-Scottish woman fighting to be heard, a brilliant artist, still largely unknown. Her death, and a small yet beautiful body of work are her story now. Like Nick Drake who died at the age of 26 – Bel’s untimely death has changed her life story – the beginning and middle are in the shadow of its end, and the power and mystery of Bel’s music and life lie in the pathos of this story and its meanings. Whatever led Bel to take her own life was also at the heart of what powered her music, it was a part of who she was. This film tells the story of an artist on the cusp of stardom and her sister Leah’s determination to fulfil Bel's dream: releasing her record and sharing her with the world.

Synopsis

At the end of a secluded Edinburgh street is a four-story building housing formerly homeless men, many of whom have struggled with addiction. Unlike most organisations, this place provides permanent housing where the men can drink inside their flats and live as they choose. On the top floor, Billy and Ronnie's friendship falters due to jealousy. Stevie battles vodka withdrawals before rehab, while Gerry and Donald lead opposing lives on the first floor - Donald relapses as Gerry celebrates two years of sobriety. Starting at the surface level of alcoholism in an observational style, the men then challenge this label, revealing the human stories beneath. Billy and Ronnie's violence, Stevie’s rehab, Donald’s guilt, and Gerry’s redemption. Confronting these deeper emotional bonds, the men offer a profound exploration of their lives beyond the label of "alcoholic". The intertwined lives of these men reveal the complexity of addiction and how they are trying to move through it by unravelling past traumas.

Synopsis

Julian Rayes is a geneticist researching lifespan, confronted with the very paradox of wanting to prolong life, while regarding it as a mere by-product of matter, void of any meaning or purpose. Parallel to his research's progress, strange dreams, visions and altered states of consciousness, will provide paradigm changing experiences regarding the purpose of existence, that will reset the course of his career and life.