GOWK

Directed by Ryan Pollock
Produced by Kitty McMurdo-Schad & Katriona Tweedie
Exec Produced by Anu Henriques at BBC Film

Set in a decaying Scottish housing estate and based on a true story, Gowk follows a young boy as he inadvertently begins to unravel a secret family wound upon visiting his mother in hospital against his father’s will.

Following its premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival 2025, Gowk was selected as one of just 40 films to screen at the Oscar-qualifying Busan International Short Film Festival in South Korea, from a pool of more than 5,000 submissions.

Selected Festivals:
Edinburgh International Film Festival 2025 - BAFTA qualifying
Glasgow Short Film Festival 2026 - BAFTA qualifying
Manchester Film Festival 2026 - BAFTA qualifying
Busan International Short Film Festival 2026 - Oscar qualifying
Bolton Film Festival - BAFTA & BIFA qualifying
The Shortest Nights - BIFA qualifying

“Gowk is still social realism, but file it along with the great British filmmakers who’ve done something more poetic with that space – think Lynne Ramsay, Bill Douglas and Terence Davies.” - The Skinny

“Gowk’s dialogue is minimal, with its narrative conveyed through the actors’ faces and close-up details. It’s a film grammar that chimes with the taciturn emotions of working-class Scotland.” - The Skinny