Young Aonghas (Angus) and his brother and sister are staying with their grandparents while their parents are out mountain climbing. It’s Christmas and the kids, eager for their presents, are trying to help themselves when they get caught out by their grandfather who orders them to bed, but not without first telling them a story from Scottish folklore designed to illustrate the perils of impatience.

Their grandfather ends up telling the kids several more stories over the course of the film after their parents die and they move in with their grandparents full time. Unlike his siblings who have chosen to simply accept the situation the best that they can, Aonghas is angry and strikes back against the tragedy in his life with the limited tools a kid has at his disposal. His grandfather continues to try to educate him by telling him selected stories designed to educate but will the boy ever be able to come to terms with the blows life deals him and to appreciate the gift that his grandfather is trying to give him?

The framing device of having an older Aonghas look back at his past life is awkward at first but eventually leads to an important emotional payoff. At least for me, the character is a bit hard to like, but that’s okay–you don’t have to like the kid, just understand his point of view. What makes the movie appealing is its excellent view of the striking scenery of the Isle of Skye in Northern Scotland and the beautiful portrayal of the stories that Aonghas’s grandfather tells–stories about adventure, romance, revenge, and treasure. Seachd is the first feature film in Scottish Gaelic (with English subtitles) and the preservation of Scottish heritage in the form of these traditional tales told in their original language is an important and capitvating part of the film as well.

Seachd: The Crimson Snowdrop screens Wednesday, June 11 at 4:30 pm at SIFF Cinema

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