A University of the West of Scotland (UWS) graduate is set to screen his new Scottish indie drama, The Thistle in the Kiss, at the Aberdeen Art Gallery 30th May as part of the effort to revitalize independent cinema in the Northeast of Scotland.
Craig Andrew Robertson, who graduated from the MA Filmmaking programme at UWS in 2019, co-wrote and produced the coming-of-age drama with fellow classmates.
“What makes this project particularly special to me is that it was a real showcase of UWS talent,” commented Craig. “Several members of our crew, including my co-writer C.J. Lazaretti, my producer Reece Steel and my script supervisor Daniel Archibald, are also graduates from the same class, making this a true collaboration born out of the university’s creative community.”
The Thistle in the Kiss follows Declan who is struggling to keep his head above water after being dumped on Christmas Day. When his car breaks down in the countryside on New Year’s Day and his sister Rachel arrives to help, a tense roadside confrontation forces them to face the secrets that have defined their family for years.
“UWS was where I truly developed my skills as a filmmaker. As part of my course, I worked on four short films and contributed to several others, which taught me a great deal about the production process and the power of artistic collaboration. In my MA class, I met many individuals who became long-term colleagues, including several who worked on The Thistle in the Kiss.”
The future of independent cinema is an issue that’s close to Craig’s heart. “All proceeds from this event will go directly toward the Save The Belmont Campaign to reopen and reimagine The Belmont Cinema, so we can continue to champion filmmakers and independent production companies like ours.”
More information and tickets for the screening can be found here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-thistle-in-the-kiss-premiere-tickets-1988551762853?aff=oddtdtcreator
See more of Craig’s work at his website: www.craigandrewrobertson.com