A FILMMAKER from Glasgow is set to take his award-winning short film set during the Second War World to the Dutch Caribbean to represent Scotland on the world stage.
Actor and producer Kyle McGuinness joined forces with Edinburgh-based production company Block 414 to take home the Edinburgh 48 Hour Film Project, earning a place at the international finals in Curaçao next year.
The team's film Throwing Stones, a period film set in the Second War World that was filmed at the historic Cultybraggan Prisoner of War Camp in Perthshire, scooped the top prize of the night.
The 48 Hour Film Project challenges teams to write, shoot, and edit a short film within a single weekend, with a genre, character, line of dialogue, and prop assigned at the start of the competition. The completed films must be no longer than seven and a half minutes.
The short five-minute film follows two soldiers in a Wes Anderson-esque style as they aim to settle a feud by “throwing stones” at their camp before trouble ensues for the pair.
McGuinness said he was “delighted” with Throwing Stones's win as it was his ninth attempt at taking part in the competition.
“I’m incredibly proud of our cast and crew and looking forward to representing Scotland on the world stage in Curaçao,” he said.
“The format gives you a chance to think outside the box and solve problems quickly, and over the years, I've been fortunate enough to pull together some amazing locations and opportunities for our teams.
“It's not just a competition, it’s one of the best filmmaking training grounds in the world, and it's helped me grow enormously as a producer, actor, and storyteller."
The team went on to take home eight awards, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Actress, Best Musical Score, Best Production Design, Best Lighting Design, Best Use of Location, and Best Costumes.
As Edinburgh winners, Block 414 will represent the city at Filmapalooza 2027 in Curaçao in March, competing against winning teams from cities around the world.
Top films from Filmapalooza are then showcased at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival.
You can watch Throwing Stones here.
