Project Detail

Skeleton Woman

Synopsis

This Inuit folktale tells of an unfortunate woman, who was thrown off a cliff into the icy ocean by her father. The motive for this deed remains untold.

As many years go by, she becomes a skeleton, haunting that part of the sea. A young brave fisherman ventures into the area despite the local superstition and fear, and unwittingly hooks the skeleton. Linked by the entangled fishing-line, the fisherman races back to shore in panic. The skeleton follows him home, and the young fisherman's compassion overcomes fear. He provides warmth and shelter, and as he sleeps she plays on a magical drum (his heart) and sings back her human shape.
They fall in love and live happily ever after.

Details

Year
2007
Type of project
Shorts
Running time
6 mins 48 secs
Format
35mm, DigiBeta
Director
Edith Pieperhoff
Producer
Ken Anderson
Screenwriter
Jill Brett
Production Designer
Edith Pieperhoff
Sound
Canongate Sound
Composer
Daniel Williams
Principal cast
Leila Doolan (Narrator)

Production Status

Production Company

Red Kite Animations

89 Giles Street
Edinburgh EH6 6BZ, Scotland
UK

T +44 (0)13 1554 0060

Sales Company

Bryony McIntyre

Short Film Distribution Officer
Scottish Screen
249 West George Street
Glasgow G2 4QE, Scotland
UK

T+44 0 141 302 1756

bryony.mcintyre@scottishscreen.com

Page updates

This page was last updated on 12th May 2025. Please let us know if we need to make any amendments or request edit access by clicking below.

See also

You may also be interested in other relevant projects in the database.

No Women No Children No Women No Children

Director: Akporé Uzoh

Year: 2026

The aftermath of a sexual assault (rape). Exploring the deep-felt consequences for all involved. At its heart an epic story of a couple's fight for the survival of their love.

22+1 22+1

Director: Pippa Bennett-Warner

Year: 2025

An interracial couple navigate the grief of late term pregnancy loss, while confronted with the underlying layer of racism in the health system that tests their love. Official Selection BFI London Film Festival 2025 - World premiere

Jamie Bamber, Ava Griffith and Kerry Norton Bad Form

Director: Alys Metcalf

Year: 2025

With her teenage daughter being relentlessly bullied for her appearance, her mother - an esteemed plastic surgeon - finds herself in a complex moral dilemma.