Direction: Lou McLoughlan
Photography: Lou McLoughlan
Editing: Lou McLoughlan, Calle Overweg
Production: LouMclou Films ltd.
Scotland, United Kingdom, 2015, 82’ English with English and Italian subtitles

16 Years Till Summer is a painfully seductive portrayal of a person returning to his village after spending 16 years in prison and his attempts to re-build a normal life. Set in the healing and beautiful landscape of the Scottish Highlands, the film inevitably explores the theme of redemption but the director’s main focus is on the trusting relationships Uisdean builds with his father and lover; both of whom are inspired by the ‘new start’ he promises to share with them. The story becomes both engaging and complex, tragic and thrilling. As Uisdean attempts to escape the tragic events of his past and reinvent himself with the help of those that love and need him, we are taken on an unexpected journey that turns initial assumptions upside down. Using cinematic techniques to deliberately blur the line between the fairy-tale of the heart and the rational judgement of society, 16 Years Till Summer is a hybrid of heart and head, magic-realism and documented tragedy.