Director: Sean Dunn
Writer: Sean Dunn
Producers: Alex Polunin, Scott Macaulay and Jennifer Monks
Production Companies: Ossian Pictures, Forensic Films Inc., The Fold
Main Cast: Peter Mullan, Jakob Oftebro and Gayle Rankin
Sales Agent: Charades
Screen Scotland support: The film received funding through Screen Scotland's FIlm Development and Production Fund and the Screen Commission Recce Fund.
Synopsis
Kenneth (Peter Mullan) works in the Arberloch visitors centre as a tour guide, dressing up as the town's most notable historical figure, Sir Douglas Weatherford, an 18th century philosopher and inventor who Kenneth proudly claims as his ancestor. When the village becomes the base of a big-budget fantasy TV show, The White Stag of Emberfell, the visitor centre is transformed into an Emberfell fan experience.
With the show's costumed fans descending on the town, Kenneth's sanity crumbles as the traditions he holds dear are casually dismissed — a mental decline his daughter Anna (Gayle Rankin) attributes to grief over the loss of his wife. Kenneth's crisis takes an even darker turn when his ire becomes fixated on the show's handsome star, Oscar Sorenson (Jakob Oftebro). The Fall of Sir Douglas Weatherford is a dark comedy exploring the thin line between history and fantasy.
More information
The Fall of Sir Douglas Weatherford has been selected as part of the Great 8 showcase, which takes place in the run-up to the 2024 Cannes Marché.
Festivals: The film has been selected to appear in the Big Screen competition at International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) 2026 from Thursday 29 January 2026, and will screen as part of the line-up at the 49th Göteburg Film Festival on Saturday 31 January and Sunday 1 February 2026. The Fall of Sir Douglas Weatherford will then have its UK premiere at the Glasgow Flm Festival on Wednesday 4 March, followed by a second screening on Friday 6 March 2026.
Filming: The production received funding to film entirely in Scotland, in Balerno, Dalmeny Estate, Dundas Castle and Prestonhall.
Image credit: Still from The Fall of Sir Douglas Weatherford, credit Saskia Coulson