Film highlighting Scottish traditions and addiction to air across nation on Hogmanay
The powerful and heart-warming film, Hogmanay, follows a woman, Sarah, who returns to her recently deceased father’s flat in Glasgow on New Year’s Eve, where she finds the past, present and future colliding around her.
Written and produced by independent filmmaker Laura Harvey, Hogmanay celebrates the traditions of the festive period as they help bring peace and clarity to Sarah before the New Year dawns.
Starring some of the country's finest actors like Peter Mullan, Siobhán Redmond, and Ann Louise Ross, Hogmanay will be shown just after the bells at 12.05am on January 1 on STV.
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Named Best Scottish Film at this year’s HB Film Festival, Hogmanay is directed by Kirsty Hines-Mackay and was created with the support of charities SFAD (Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol & Drugs) and North West Recovery Communities.
Hines-Mackay said she chose to direct the film due to its subject matter as the film showcases the effects of addiction on families.
“Films focus on the addiction itself, but this script was different,” she said.
Hines-Mackay added: “We had a brilliant cast of veteran actors and newcomers. Laura, our star and writer, portrayed Sahra with power and authenticity.
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“Experienced actors like Peter Mullan made newcomers like Alba Flanagan, who is nine years old and starring in her first role, feel so comfortable, and her enjoyment of the day comes across in a wonderfully relaxed performance.”
The 15-minute film examines Scottish culture and family relationships, as it shares a poignant story about love, acceptance and the “extraordinary power” of families to heal.
It also gives an insight into one family’s New Year traditions, including cleaning the house, taking the bins out, opening a window to let the New Year in, and throwing coins over the threshold for good luck.
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Harvey said that one of the main aims of the project was to give people the opportunity to “step up” in the industry and, in particular, to support women in the arts sector.
One of those opportunities to work on the project fell to actor Heather Cochrane, a native Dundonian, who trained in Acting and Performance at Dundee and Angus College in her mid-60s, but had never had the chance to work behind the camera.
Cochrane (left) said that after she read the screenplay, she felt its powerful story deserved to be told.
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However, both Cochrane and Harvey said there was no funding for short films in Scotland during 2024, so they decided to raise the money themselves, contacting charitable foundations and holding a very successful St Andrew’s Night fundraiser.
“It was a daunting prospect for me as a first-time producer, but we did it and, along the way, persuaded a hugely talented team of Scottish and Scotland-based professionals to help fulfil our vision,” Cochrane said.
“The film shoot was a joyous experience for me: friendly, fun and collaborative, despite filming in sub-zero temperatures”.
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Cochrane added that from the beginning, both she and Harvey wanted to focus on women in the Arts.
“We tried to give people the opportunity to step up by offering shadowing opportunities on set, and we hosted a mentoring workshop for a group of schoolgirls who are keen to join the film industry,” she said.
“We also partnered with two amazing charities, Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs and North West Recovery Communities, who intend to use the film as a stimulus to support their outreach work.”
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Cochrane added: “We’re so delighted that STV are giving folk all across Scotland the opportunity to see Hogmanay.
“It’s a truly heart-warming film and everyone involved is so proud to have brought it to the screen”.
Hogmanay will be shown on STV at 12.05am on Thursday, January 1, 2026.
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