The Witch of Glentow set to scare an American audience in new Ulster-Scots drama short.
Date Posted: January 30, 2025
Having won the People’s Choice Prize at last year’s Standing Rock Film Festival in Ohio, USA with his film Oot Here Mae Lane, director Tristan Crowe will be showing an exclusive preview of The Witch of Glentow at this year’s event on Saturday 1st February. And as its featured filmmaker, Crowe will also be screening other Ulster-Scots films, made by his company Negative Waves, including last year’s winning short.
The Witch of Glentow is a dark and surreal cinematic journey that explores unsettling events surrounding a small North Antrim village after the arrival of a mysterious visitor. Steeped in Ulster-Scots tradition and language, this evocative short film offers a fresh, visual take on local folklore.
Directed by Tristan Crowe, and produced by Liam Logan and Mick Crossey, with funding from the Northern Ireland Screen Ulster-Scots Broadcast Fund, the film stars Clíodhna McCorley (Hope Street), Richard Clements (The Fall), and Pádraig O’Grady (The Lieutenant of Inishmore), alongside a host of new local talent from North Antrim, including the renowned Ulster-Scots poet Charlie Gillen. It also features an original score created by Northern Ireland Music Prize winner Mark McCambridge (Arborist).
Set amidst the rugged beauty of North Antrim, the story unfolds with a local storyteller (Charlie Gillen) recounting The Witch of Glentow, an old poem native to the area, to a group of children gathered around a bonfire. As his tale weaves its spell, strange events begin to plague the village. Has the ancient witch returned, or is this the story of a grieving widow seeking refuge among the superstitious locals?
“The aim was to create a short film that whilst staying true to the Ulster-Scots language and roots of the area, could experiment visually in a way that would be cinematically interesting,” said Crowe. “We’re also very pleased to be able to take Ulster-Scots to an international audience, and having last year’s film do so well at the festival proves that there’s an appetite beyond Northern Ireland’.
“The Witch of Glentow sounds eerie and beautiful and I’m excited to see it.” said Festival Director Jeff Ingram. “We’re extremely grateful to have these exclusive previews.”
“Tristan and everyone involved in The Witch of Glentow have created something very special and not a little unnerving,” added Ulster-Scots Broadcast Fund Executive Heidi McAlpin. “His vision, brought to life by a rich combination of professional and amateur actors, has ensured this story will spook a new generation of horror fans.”
The Witch of Glentow is set for its official release in Spring 2025, with an anticipated festival run later in the year. Screenings dates in Northern Ireland will be announced over the coming months.
