Seachd: the Inaccessible Pinnacle

Old traditions die hard in this warm Scottish drama spoken almost entirely in Scottish Gaelic. Young Angus (Padruig Moireasdan) is struggling to come to terms with the tragic death of his parents, and his grandad (Aonghas Padruig Caimbeul) is forever spinning yarns about days of yore for the boy's benefit. These ancient legends are filled with magic, intrigue, and a good dose of humour, as in the dubious tale of a man called MacDonald who opened the world's first chip shop. For the most part, the mix of domestic drama and fantastical folklore works well, but Angus's grief doesn't come across as powerfully as it should when he returns as a man to the mountaintop where mum and dad perished. Even if writer/director Simon Miller doesn't quite scale the heights he aims for, there's a cosy, fairy-tale feel to this story that should please bairns and grown-ups alike.