The Glasgow Short Film Festival came to a close last night with its annual award ceremony. Seventeen films competed for the Scottish Short Film Award which was won by Lisa Clarkson for Paternal Advice.
The jury said, ‘In this outstanding short film, absurdist elements intrude on the edge of reality, language breaks down to its most elemental functions and the city’s ancient divisions take on a timeless, dream-like quality.
‘Through the brilliant lead performance and striking sound design, the audience’s expectations are subtly undermined throughout. The final punchline is delivered with swagger, an old joke with a punchline we see coming but still can’t escape from. The filmmaker has delivered a perfect example of the short film form.’ Eubha Akilade’s Baby, shot in a single take, was given a special mention.
The Bill Douglas Award For International Short Film, which ‘promotes cinematic storytelling that places sound and image centre stage’, went to Maryam Tafakory for Razeh-del. The jury also gave a special mention to Their Eyes by Nicolas Gourault.
The jury said, ‘A precious cinematic jewel which virtuosically narrates an important but forgotten memory of a nation told through an intimately personal but at the same time politically rebellious perspective which made an impossible film become possible.
‘The artist has dedicated herself to a deeply personal and meticulous research, investigating the vast archives of the dead post-revolutionary Iranian cinema, emancipating and reviving the same films that have been murdered by the censorship authorities. This masterpiece is a testament to the power of personal filmmaking – one that defies not only the borders imposed by governments and the industry but, perhaps most profoundly, the invisible barriers artists place upon their own creativity.’
The GSFF25 International Audience Award, chosen by the festival’s audience, went to Claire Barnett for Freak, while the Scottish Audience Award went to Eilidh Loan for Soul. There were two winners of the Young Scottish Filmmaker Prize: Eve Grant for Heavy and Tianhui Wu for The Land Where Ghosts Could Speak. A special mention went Vinn Wol for Midnight At Mickey’s.
The Glasgow Short Film Festival will return from Wednesday 18 to Sunday 22 March 2026; main picture: Ingrid Mur.
