EIFF is delighted to partner with NFTS Scotland and The Sean Connery Foundation to present the World Premiere of six short films created via the inaugural Sean Connery Talent Lab. These rich, vibrant and diverse films showcase six new filmmakers of immense talent and promise, and spotlight a variety of perspectives on Scotland and Scottish stories.
World Premiere
Gowk
Upon visiting his mother in hospital, a young boy begins to unearth a secret family trauma.
Director: Ryan Pollock. Narrative Short. Cast: Jack Mooney, Strath Martin, Kathleen McDermott. United Kingdom. 2025. 15min. English. Unclassified: 15+. CW: Mental illness, language, self-harm.
World Premiere
Nora Can’t Score
An amateur basketball player faces mounting pressure to score, both on and off the court.
Director: Josefa Celestin. Narrative Short. Cast: Catriona Stirling, Madeline Grieve, Hana Greer, Tyler Collins, Isaac Bews-Ivins. United Kingdom. 2025. 13min. English. Unclassified: 15+. CW: Sexual references, language.
World Premiere
Lady Maclean
On shift at the grand ceilidh, Mairead stands up to her tyrannical employer.
Director: Catriona MacLeod. Narrative Short. Cast: Mj Deans, Deborah Arnott, Andrew Macinnes, Sam James Smith, Alan Berkley, Bobby Rainsbury. United Kingdom. 2025. 13min. English. Unclassified: 12+. CW: Language.
World Premiere
Static
Lexi and Badger’s world unravels as addiction threatens their once invincible sanctuary.
Director: Miranda Stern. Narrative Short. Cast: Lucy Halliday, Jess Douglas Welsh. United Kingdom. 2025. 15min. English. Unclassified: 18+. CW: Substance abuse, language, violence.
World Premiere
Twenty Twenty
A brutal night shift forces a doctor to choose between medical protocol and her humanity.
Director: Alex Salam. Narrative Short. Cast: Sarah Priddy, Alan Gear, Carol Ann Crawford, Draya Maria, Andi Jashy, Tam Dean Burn, Patrick O’Brien, Lamb Bennett. United Kingdom. 2025. 15min. English. Unclassified: 15+. CW: Blood, death and dying, mental illness, pregnancy and childbirth, surgery, self-harm.
World Premiere
Checkout
Agnes’ bargain hunt turns deadly when she finds herself trapped in a supermarket murdering spree.
Director: Mairead Hamilton. Narrative Short. Cast: Anne Lacey, Grant O’Rourke, Ashley Storrie, Zara Janjua. United Kingdom. 2025. 15min. English. Unclassified: 15+. CW: Violence.
