Tartan Shorts

This year's crop of Tartan Shorts coincidentally seem to have common themes running through them: love (or a lack of it), estrangement and isolation in one sense or another. Rice Paper Stars written and directed by Andy Goddard takes place in and around a tacky disco venue, the setting for a wedding party. The bride Kelly Marie (Jenny McCrindle) is in a tearful state having discovered her husband copping off with another girl. Struggling to remove her wedding ring in the toilets, her mother, Aunt and dotty friend Gracie make matters worse by being unable to say anything constructive. Suddenly a drunk girl bursts in and collapses. This puts proceedings into perspective as they try to resurrect her.

A black comedy which at the start seemed worryingly like yet another slice of Scottish class-based misery replete with the appropriate slang and characters redeems itself by having a bit of heart and soul as Kelly forgets her dilemma and struggles to get water for the unconscious girl and a telephone to call an ambulance.

Not all of the comedy works but once she dons a welders helmet on top of her dress and smashes up the toilets with a wrench, myself and the audience were in fits.

The Lovers written by Paul Welsh and directed by Ewan Morrison is a modern day Brief Encounter and an exercise in visual and aural ambience. Liz walks out on her boyfriend Callum after an argument and wanders in a daze amongst the motorways, bypasses and flyovers of the local area. A chance encounter in a cafe ends up in a brief liaison with a stranger as Callum tries vainly to track her down.

This is a technically accomplished film - well shot, directed, atmospheric and with a great soundtrack. Although we know and care little for the characters and are merely passing observers, we can feel what they're experiencing, mainly through well-observed nuances and good subtle performances by the cast, particularly Susannah Doyle.

Birthday is another gem from writer-director Morag Mckinnon. Wee Annie is no longer the focus of attention when her mother's new boyfriend Malcolm turns up. He tries to make friends by presenting her with a new cage for Eddie, her pet budgie. When this gesture goes horribly wrong, Annie seeks solace in the local woods and the company of former neighbour Kelly now living in a gypsy camp. Without giving too much away, Annie is faced with a choice between joining the gypsies and re uniting with her mother.

This a beautifully crafted and moving film with a striking performance by seven year old newcomer Dannielle Hutchison. It's a simple premise with a shocking moment of black comedy and an unexpected twist adding a spiritual dimension to the proceedings. Again this is a film where the characters and their emotions are drawn out through finely observed nuances and actions rather than dialogue and exposition.