August 2025 – Page 11 – The NEN

Edinburgh International Film Festival announces 2025 Competition Winners

Edinburgh International Film Festival announces winners of this year’s Sean Connery Prize for Feature Filmmaking Excellence and The Thelma Schoonmaker Prize for Short Filmmaking Excellence Competition

The winner of the Sean Connery Prize for Feature Filmmaking Excellence is Abdolreza Kahani’s Mortician

Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) has announced the winners of its prize for feature filmmaking and its prize for short filmmaking.

The awards were presented at a special ceremony at Cameo Cinema in Edinburgh by Jason Connery on behalf of The Connery Foundation and by legendary film editor Thelma Schoonmaker.

The winner of this year’s The Sean Connery Prize for Feature Filmmaking Excellence, decided on by an audience vote and funded by The Connery Foundation is Abdolreza Kahani’s Mortician. Ten feature-length World Premieres were presented at EIFF as part of the competition with the winning filmmaker being awarded £50,000 to support their future projects.

In Mortician, a reclusive mortician faces an unusual request from a dissident singer in hiding, their bond providing the beating heart of this disarmingly elegant film. Combining a distinctive, lo-fi visual style, naturalistic performances and familiar wit and humanity, Director Abdolreza Kahani’s film is both utterly distinctive and affecting.

Mortician sees director Abdolreza Kahani return to EIFF following his film A Shrine screening as part of last year’s Festival. Mortician is presented as part of Spotlight Canada 2025, supported by The High Commission of Canada and The Beaverbrook Canadian Foundation.

The other films in competition films were:

Blue Film (Dir. Elliot Tuttle)

Powered by extraordinary performances, a tight script and an elegant visual style, this unusual thriller makes for a shocking and highly compelling cinematic experience.

Concessions (Dir. Mas Bouzidi)

Propelled by a witty and weirdly lyrical script, great performances and some unexpected cameos, this is a fresh, funny and robust ode to cinema in a time of uncertainty over its future.

In Transit (Dir. Jaclyn Bethany)

An elegant, subtle drama with a chilly edge, this is a restrained and emotionally intelligent exploration of selfish desires, hidden motivations and what it really takes to know yourself.

Low Rider (Dir. Campbell X)

Powered by finely drawn characters and a freewheeling narrative, this is a vivid and visually striking queer road movie that has a strong message of self-empowerment at its core

Best Boy (Dir. Jesse Noah Klein)

A bold, original and blackly comic satire that fearlessly skewers social constructs, the nuclear family and toxic masculinity.

Novak (Dir. Harry Lagoussis)

An offbeat, intriguing exploration of idol worship, consumerism and non-conformity in the modern world, this is dark, unpredictable and humorous in equal measure.

On The Sea (Dir. Helen Walsh)

The humdrum contentment and daily routine of a married mussel farmer are thrown into chaos by the arrival of a mysterious stranger in novellist and filmmaker Helen Walsh’s beautiful, erotic love story set on the Welsh coast.

Once You Shall Be One Of Those Who Lived Long Ago (Dirs. Alexander Rynéus and Per Bifrost)

An affecting, gorgeously crafted documentary about the remaining people in Malmberget in north Sweden, a small town slowly collapsing into the mines beneath it.

Two Neighbors (Dir. Ondine Viñao)

A wealthy socialite (Cherry) and a struggling writer (Chalotra) are thrown together at a debauched party in this remarkable satire of greed and excess with a supernatural twist in the tale.

The winner of The Thelma Schoonmaker Prize for Short Filmmaking Excellence Competition is Joanna Vymeris’s Mother Goose. The short film competition winner was also decided on by an audience vote and is awarded £15,000 to support their future projects.

After the death of her husband, Janet decides to distract herself by rearing a goose, which is to be the centrepiece of her Christmas dinner. However, as she grows ever more isolated from her daughter, Janet’s need to nurture the goose becomes an obsession: one which will cost her dearly. A modern day Grimm’s fairy-tale about grief, isolation and a goose.

EIFF 2025, Thelma Schoonmaker Award Winner, Mother Goose; Edinburgh International Film Festival, Aug 2025; Photographer: Kat Gollock © EIFF, Edinburgh International Film Festival All Rights Reserved

The other shorts in the competition are:

Love Me, Hold Me, Always (Dir. Hardey Speight)

Forced into homelessness after her release from prison, Chrissie searches for love in the margins of society.

Stray (Dir. Morven Christie)

From nightclub to wilderness, a young girl seeks shelter from a world that feels hostile.

Blondi (Dir. Jack Salvadori)

Can a dog still be man’s best friend if that man is the Führer?

The Golden Squacco Heron (Dir. Edward Smyth)

Two childhood friends search for the fabled golden Squacco Heron.

Fowl Play (Dir. Anabelle LeMieux)

A mother’s quest for a Thanksgiving turkey spirals into chaos.

Backstroke (Sırtüstü) (Dir. Asya Günen)

Burdened by pressure and isolation, a young swimmer finds freedom by reclaiming the water for herself.

She Said So (Dir. Madeline Clayton)

A persuasive teenage girl orchestrates a sleepover that tests her best friend’s sexual boundaries.

Jodie (Dir. Seb Tabe)

Jodie faces a moral dilemma as she contends with the harmful male influences in her life.

Your body in my room (Tu cuerpo en mi habitación) (Dir. Axel Cheb Terrab)

Knowing they will never see each other again, two former lovers are acutely aware of the passing of time.

EIFF Director, Paul Ridd has said: “As the 2025 Edinburgh International Film Festival draws to a close I am once again moved and humbled by the hard work and astonishing effort that everyone has put into making this Festival stimulating, entertaining and fun.

“I am so grateful to all the organisations, teams and individuals who put their hearts and souls into this. These past seven days are testament to our collective belief in the power of film to provoke, to stimulate and to inspire empathy.

“Our two competition winners showcase outstanding work from their respective filmmakers and teams, proving that with formal dexterity, humanity and grace, cinema is alive and kicking.

“I am hugely inspired by all the filmmakers in Competition and beyond as well as all our special guests, who have worked so brilliantly with us to platform their work on the big screen and have been so generous with their time with audiences and with industry who we know very well are hungry for something fresh and exciting. I cannot wait for 2026!”

EIFF 2025 is supported by Screen Scotland and the BFI Audience Projects Fund, awarding National Lottery funding, EventScotland part of VisitScotland’s Events Directorate, and the industry programme is backed by EXPO funding from the Scottish Government through Creative Scotland.

Edinburgh International Film Festival ran from Thursday 14 to Wednesday 20 August.

SEPA warn of possible water abstraction restrictions next week

Parts of eastern Scotland remain under sustained water scarcity pressure, and a small number of catchments are approaching trigger levels where regulatory restrictions on abstractions may be required early next week.

The latest water scarcity report from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) shows the situation across the country.

SEPA’s four-tier water scarcity scale goes from Early Warning through Alert and Moderate Scarcity up to Significant Scarcity. The most impacted catchments are currently those at Moderate Scarcity.

Moderate Scarcity – Escalated this week: Spey, Almond and Tweed catchments. They join the Deveron, Ythan, Don (Aberdeenshire), Esk (Angus), Firth of Tay and Tyne (Lothian), which have been at Moderate Scarcity for several months.

Alert – Escalated this week: Earn and Orkney catchments. The Findhorn, Dee (Aberdeenshire) and Firth of Forth catchments remain at this level.

Early Warning – Escalated this week: Forth, Esk (Dumfriesshire), Annan, Nith, Dee (Galloway), Cree and Leven (Dunbartonshire) catchments have been moved from Normal to Early Warning. Wick, Helmsdale, Tay, Clyde, Naver and Thurso catchments remain at this level.

Not enough rain

Localised thunderstorms at the end of last week, including reports of large hail in Dundee and parts of Aberdeenshire, did not change the overall water scarcity picture. Showers were short lived and patchy, often missing the catchments that needed rain most, and on very dry ground intense rain tends to run off rather than soak in – limiting recharge of rivers and groundwater.

Rainfall data underlines how long this situation has been building. On the east coast of Scotland every month since the start of 2025 has been drier than average. In some eastern areas the deficit extends back to June 2024, with 40% less rainfall than the long-term average over that period.

That prolonged shortfall, coupled with the warm, sunny spring and summer has left rivers, soils and groundwater under pressure.

Areas at risk of restrictions

Early Warning, Alert and Moderate Scarcity indicate the situation on a river catchment scale – based on river levels, groundwater and soil moisture.

Significant scarcity is different. It reflects severe, sustained low flows assessed over a period of time, and is the point at which restrictions are likely.

If very low flows persist in the Deveron, Ythan, Upper and Lower Don in Aberdeenshire, North Fife and the Lower Tweed, SEPA expect those areas could move into significant scarcity as early as next week. The agency has been in direct contact with abstractors in the areas most at risk.

SEPA assess water scarcity each week using long term data and on the ground evidence. Where sustained low flows risk long-term environmental harm, the agency can reduce or temporarily stop licenced abstractions. Any measures would be targeted and time limited, reviewed regularly and lifted as soon as flows recover. If restrictions are required, affected licence holders will be notified directly.

Kenny Boag, SEPA’s Head of Environmental Performance (National), said: “Some rivers in the east of Scotland are days away from the point where restrictions may be needed to protect the environment.

“We are speaking directly to licence holders, so no one should be caught off guard. If you abstract water from the environment, you should already have plans in place. Reduce volumes where you can, stagger abstractions and make sure you are following the conditions of your licence.”

When will the rain come?

There remains uncertainty about the weather next week, as the remnants of ex hurricane Erin could influence Scotland’s weather. It’s too early to say what that will mean for individual catchments, and SEPA will continue to monitor conditions closely.

Meet LifeCare at Stockbridge Market this Sunday

Come and meet LifeCare’s friendly team at Stockbridge Market tomorrow (Sunday 24th August)!

Learn about the support we offer local older people and unpaid carers, the wide range of weekly activities for all ages, and our Love the LifeCare Hub campaign – including a unique chance to sponsor a space at the heart of the community.

Make a lasting impact!

Scottish Women’s Rugby embraces the outdoors at Foxlake Adventures and Ocean Vertical

Players swap the pitch for paddleboards, high ropes, and coastal challenges in East Lothian

THE Scottish Women’s Rugby team recently took a break from the training pitch to connect, recharge, and challenge themselves in a different way – by spending a full day immersed in the Scottish outdoors at Foxlake Adventures and Ocean Vertical in East Lothian.

The squad – made up of 32 players and 17 support staff – took part in a range of outdoor adventure activities designed to boost confidence, build resilience, and strengthen team bonds ahead of a busy competitive season.

Ellen Dickson, Team Manager, and former Scotland International, said: “We wanted to give the players a chance to reset and have fun away from the pressures of training, and Ocean Vertical and Foxlake were perfect for this.

“The team had a brilliant time on the water, and are looking forward to visiting again in future.”

The day kicked off at Foxlake Adventures, where players threw themselves into the inflatable Aqua Park, diving, balancing, and cheering each other on across the over-water obstacle course.

Next, the team travelled to Ocean Vertical, an outdoor adventure company based in East Lothian offering guided outdoor experiences, where the Scottish Women’s team enjoyed a relaxed, fireside lunch provided by FieldFireFork, before breaking into smaller groups for an afternoon of exhilarating coastal activities – including coasteering, stand-up paddleboarding along the East Lothian coastline, and electric mountain biking through nearby trails.

“It was a real pleasure to organise this away day for the Scotland Women’s team,” said Mollie Hughes, Director at Ocean Vertical.

“It was the perfect blend of fun, challenge, and downtime ahead of what will be an intense and exciting summer for the squad.”

To round off the day, the team returned to Foxlake where some players tackled the high ropes of the iconic FoxFall, while others unwound in the HotFox Sauna before braving a refreshing ice-cold plunge.

“It was fantastic to welcome the Scottish Women’s Rugby team to Foxlake,” said James Barbour, Director of Wild Shore.

“Our experiences are all about pushing limits in a fun and supportive environment – and watching the team enjoying this experience together, away from their ‘day job’, captured that spirit perfectly.”

The day offered not only a physical challenge, but also a valuable opportunity for Scotland’s top female athletes to reconnect, relax, and prepare together.

For more information on activities, bookings, and events, visit:

www.foxlake.co.uk and follow foxlake_adventures on Instagram.

For more information about Ocean Vertical, please visit:

https://www.oceanvertical.com/

The Scottish Women begin their Rugby World Cup campaign with a game against Wales in Manchester this afternoon – KO 2.45

PYCP Autumn Programme

Have a good look at our new programme below! We are so ready to welcome everyone back NEXT WEEK!

Please look carefully as some of our age groups have changed and we want you to come along to the right one!

Children/Young people MUST have a new completed consent form to come along, any done before or during the summer holidays don’t count! Please follow this link to fill them in

https://app.upshot.org.uk/signup/301f3ae8/f55ef57de02572ae

Broughton High School teacher shortlisted for Scots Language Award

The shortlist for the Scots Language Awards 2025 has been unveiled, with figures from Scottish literature, theatre, education and business all in the running for awards at the annual ceremony.

Nicola Daniel of Broughton High School is nominated for Scots Teacher of the Year for her dedication to the language in her teaching.

She is one of 45 individuals and organisations nominated who each showcase the Scots language in their own unique way. 2025 nominees hail from across Scotland and voting is open until Sunday 31st August.

The Scots tongue was given official status as a language earlier this year with the unanimous passing of the Scottish Languages Bill. Now in its seventh year, the Scots Language Awards – organised by cultural advocacy organisation Hands Up For Trad – aim to recognise the importance of the Scottish indigenous language to daily Scottish life.

Returning to Dundee, the 2025 awards will be held at Discovery Point on Saturday 6th September and hosted by Dundee’s own Taylor Dyson, who is this year’s National Library of Scotland Scots Scriever, and Scots folk singer from Angus, Lynne Campbell.

Scots Language Awards host Taylor Dyson said: “Scots is oor language – it’s intrinsically linked to oor culture and we are so proud tae celebrate it.

“This is a chance tae gie credit tae aa the guid fowk daein work in Scots. We’ll be gien oot awards tae teachers wha promote Scots in scuils, tae actors yaisin Scots on stage, fowk scrievin books for bairns an adults, as weel as aa sorts o ither awards.

“We would encourage folk tae cast a vote for the projects, poets, businesses and figures they reckon deserve it maist and why not come alang for a celebration of all things Scots in Dundee this September.”

The full list of nominees are:

Scots Writer o the Year, sponsored by National Library of Scotland

● Josie Giles

● Kathleen Jamie

● Len Pennie

● Yvonne Tait

Scots Community Project o the Year

● Auchies Spikkin’ Auchie – Grace Stewart-Skinner

● Blether – Dundee Scots Nicht

● Celtic Croft – Limelight Music

● Orkney Voices Vaigan b’ the shore

● Seagully Blonde, Aberdeen

Scots Bairns’ Book o the Year, sponsored by Scottish Government

● Foggie Bummer Rescue by Aaron Gale (Doric Books)

● Corrie Doon by Jackie Kay (Walker Books)

● Hirda Da Oorick (Peerie Oorick)

● Hiya in There Wee Bairnie (NHS/Dundee Contemporary Arts)

● The Lass and the Quine (Tippermuir Books)

Scots Teacher o the Year, sponsored by Scottish Qualifications Authority

● Antonia Uri, Peterhead Academy

● Mirren Aird, Perth High School

● Nicola Daniel, Broughton High School

● Olivia Stephen, Meethill Primary School, Fraserburgh

Scots School o the Year

● Meethill Primary School, Fraserburgh

● Perth High School

● Stanley Primary School

● Turriff Academy

Scots Stage Production o the Year

● Goodbye Dreamland Bowlarama by Calum Kelly and Taylor Dyson

● Mistero Buffo (Translator: Joseph Farrell, Director: Ben Standish, A Play, A Pie and A Pint)

● So Long Wee Moon (Braw Clan)

● The Concert Party (Garidge Theatre)

● The Not So Serious Burns Unit by Hamish and Liza

● Through the Shortbread Tin (National Theatre of Scotland)

● Up a Close (Kingsman Travelling Theatre Company)

Scots Book o the Year, sponsored by Scottish Book Trust

● Bloodsongs by Mae Diansangu (Tapsalteerie)

● Fower Pessoas – Colin Bramwell (Carcanet Press Ltd)

● Goonie by Michael Mullen (Little, Brown)

● Iain MacLachlain, This Is What You Get (Rymour)

● William Soutar, Collected Poems (vols 1&2) (Tippermuir Books)

Scots Performer o the Year, sponsored by TRACS

● Eileen Budd

● Ellie Beaton

● Josie Duncan

● Lawrence Boothman

● Robyn Stapleton

Scots in Business, sponsored by Scots Hoose

● Braw Tea (Broughty Ferry)

● Captain Dugwash (Airdrie)

● Dook (St Andrews)

● Run4It (Dundee)

● Scunnered Ink

● The Selkie (Dundee)

The esteemed Scots Champion, Janet Paisley Services to Scots Award, sponsored by Creative Scotland, and the Young Scots Writer o the Year award, sponsored by Education Scotland, will be decided by a panel of judges and presented at the event.

The awards will also showcase performances from some of the finest Scots cultural practitioners including Scots singer Ellie Beaton, Slam poetry champion Hamish MacDonald and young Edinburgh vocalist Amy Leach. The event will be followed by an after party at Dundee Scots Language night Blether.

The Scots Language Awards 2025 will take place at Discovery Point, Dundee on 6th September. Voting is open until 31st August.

Visit www.scotslanguageawards.com.

Support for Scotland’s teachers

Easing teaching workload

Proposals to help alleviate workload pressures faced by teachers have been announced by the Scottish Government.

Work is underway with councils and teaching unions to create a plan to reduce class contact time for teachers, which is supported by increased funding for councils of £186.5 million to restore teacher numbers to 2023 levels.

In addition, independent work will be taken forward to examine how reducing unnecessary bureaucracy in Scottish education can improve teacher workload. This will be supported by guidance from the Chief Inspector of Education.

Greater use of digital technology will also be explored to help free up teachers’ time.

Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said: “Scotland’s schools are responding to far greater pressures post-pandemic than they did five years ago, and this is having an impact on the teaching workload and, ultimately, children and young people.

“We recognise the pressures facing teachers, and it is absolutely crucial that we continue to support a delivery of measures to ease workloads.

“These proposals will ultimately provide teachers with additional time to prepare lessons and reduce the number of hours worked outside of the school day, enhancing their wellbeing and benefiting children and young people by providing an improved learning experience.

“Collaborative working with trade unions and local authorities is essential and we want this work to be delivered at pace.”

Trial cycle hire scheme for Edinburgh launched

Edinburgh’s new trial cycle hire scheme, delivered by Voi, has been launched.

The public will be able to use the city’s new scheme of dockless e-bikes from Wednesday 3 September via the Voi app. A guide to using the scheme is available on their website.

A typical 20-minute journey on the e-bike will cost £2.20. There are a range of discounts and concessions for many groups including those on low incomes, people with disabilities, those over the age of 60, blue light workers, veterans, students, apprentices and many more.

In addition to pay as you go fares, Voi also offer day passes and multi day passes.

Full details on fares, concessions and promotions are available on Voi’s website.

There will be an initial tranche of around 50 e-bikes in the city centre. Alongside Voi, we’ll then gather rider feedback and monitor initial performance. This will then be used to expand across the city over the coming months, with a target of approximately 800 e-bikes for the full scheme.

The contract between Voi and the Council runs from 22 August 2025 for a period of two years with the option to extend for up to a further 18 months undertaken at the sole discretion of the Council.

The contract will also run at no cost to the Council.

Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson said: “I’m really pleased that we’ve returned a cycle hire scheme to Edinburgh. Voi is a highly experienced operator, with many successful schemes across the UK and abroad, and I’m looking forward to working with them in this exciting new chapter for our city.

“The new scheme will allow everyone to be able to move around our city in a healthier and more sustainable way. We’re also ensuring that the scheme is accessible for all our residents and visitors, with a wide range of concessionary and discount fares available.

“We know that the demand and appetite for cycling is already strong, and getting stronger, here in Edinburgh. Just last week we saw the record for daily cycle journeys on Leith Walk being broken with 2,147 at the Picardy Place counter.

“Meanwhile, our other major active travel routes such as the City Centre West to East Link (CCWEL) and Roseburn to Union Canal have also seen increasing patronage since opening.

“The scheme will complement our existing active travel and transport infrastructure and enhance connectivity, while also cutting congestion and reducing emissions. I look forward to seeing the benefits the scheme will bring to the city and our residents.”

James Bolton, Voi’s UK General Manager said: “We’re excited to set up in Scotland, starting in the historic capital.

“We are working closely with the council to make an affordable scheme that is sensitive to, and learns lessons from, the previous scheme and our experience in similar cities like Oxford, Dortmund, and Regensburg.

“At Voi we see massive amounts of untapped potential in Scotland, where people are really looking for affordable, quick and convenient ways to get around.”

DEBT: Impact on Mental Health

Problem debt affects many people, and the impact on mental health can’t be ignored. Debt problems can cause anxiety, stress, and sleep problems – and increase the risk of self-harm and suicide.

As well as seeking mental health support, it’s important to get help with debt.

Free, impartial advice is available – and it’s never too late to get help.

Read more about debt and mental health on our website:

https://bit.ly/3ILMCv2

Tomorrow: Edinburgh store giving away 100 free slices of cake

CAKE lovers in Edinburgh can enjoy a free slice tomorrow (Saturday 23rd August), as Cake Box opens its new store on St John’s Road, Corstorphine.

Cake Box is known for its fresh cream celebration cakes, cupcakes, brownies and cheesecakes, all of which are 100% egg-free. The bakery is popular among those who enjoy a more delicate textured cake, people simply looking for quick and delicious sweet treats, and those looking for cakes that meet specific dietary requirements.

To celebrate the launch, the first 100 visitors will be given a free slice of celebration cake (while stocks last). Families can also enjoy free face painting and balloons on the day.

The launch event will run from 11am tomorrow – Saturday 23rd August.

Sukh Chamdal, founder and chief executive officer (CEO), at Cake Box said: “We’re really excited to be bringing our delicious celebration cakes and sweet treats to Edinburgh, and we’re encouraging locals to stop by to try them on us, to mark the occasion!

“The timing couldn’t be better – families who are running out of ideas for entertaining their kids at the end of the school holidays will love being able to pick up a free slice of cake and have their faces painted on the launch day.”

Event details:

Date: Saturday 23rd August 2025
Time: From 11am
Address: 217 St John’s Road, Corstorphine, Edinburgh. EH12 7UU
Giveaway: 100 free slices of cake, face painting and balloons (while stocks last)

The new store has also created local jobs, further strengthening Cake Box’s commitment to communities across the UK.

Cake Box is the UK’s leading retailer of handmade, fresh cream egg-free cakes. Its 250+ stores nationwide offer beautifully handcrafted celebration cakes and sweet treats for every occasion. Stores also offer quick and beautiful personalisation, for an extra special touch.

Visit www.cakebox.com to find your local store, or click and collect in as little as one hour.