16 Years Till Summer
Simple but powerful documentary
This modest but heartfelt documentary follows Uisdean as he returns home from 16 years in prison to care for his elderly father in his isolated Highland cottage. Looking to rebuild his shattered life and relationships in the beautiful but unforgiving landscapes of Northern Scotland, Uisdean struggles to come to terms with not only his current position and responsibilities but also the weight of his own past.
Filmed over the course of four years, Lou McLoughlan’s film may lose some in its sluggish opening half. Revelations about Uisdean’s past are drawn out gradually and are intermingled with atmospheric shots of the local landscapes – one particularly memorable scene catches a small herd of deer wandering among trees – and Uisdean’s attempts to acclimatise to life outside of prison.
Over the course of its brief runtime, 16 Years Till Summer manages to gracefully explore the effects of isolation and the justice system on the individuals affected before building to a quietly devastating climax. A simple but powerful film.
16 Years Till Summer screened at Glasgow Film Festival.
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