An iconic presence both on screen and on stage, Brian Cox epitomizes a unique blend of gravitas and charm. Now, Cox (TV’s Succession) makes his directorial debut with this rich, layered drama about family and forgiveness. Featuring a powerhouse cast that includes Alan Cumming, Shirley Henderson (also at this year’s Festival in I Swear), and Cox himself, Glenrothan explores the challenges of tradition, commitment, and change.
After 35 years in the United States, Donal (Cumming) returns to his family-owned whisky distillery in the Scottish Highlands. When he left, his dear mother had died and, on the very day of her funeral, he and his brother Sandy (Cox) wound up in a violent exchange with their father. All those years away provided Donal with the chance to become the version of himself that his chaotic family would never allow, but the wounds from that terrible time have never fully healed. Now, with the survival of their treasured family business on the line, Donal hopes to make amends with Sandy — and to find some desperately needed inner peace — before it’s too late.
Written by David Ashton (TIFF ’06’s The Last King of Scotland) and Jeff Murphy (TV’s Hinterland), Glenrothan digs deep into the complexities of familial ties and fissures, set against the proud but threatened tradition of making some of the world’s finest whisky. The film offers Cumming one of his richest onscreen roles, facing off against Cox who, behind or before the camera, infuses every scene with a sense of fraught history and stubborn hope.
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