SETTING: Straw uses the isolated setting of Little Cumbrae in North Ayrshire (Image: Alessio Avezzano)
An Ayrshire island has been included by an award-winning director for their latest production, believed to be something “we do not often see in Scottish cinema”.
Little “Wee” Cumbrae in North Ayrshire was opted for by Scottish / Italian writer and director Alessio Avezzano for his folk horror comedy short film “Straw”.
The island, in the shadow of Great Cumbrae off the coastline, was selected for its landscape which lends itself to “the unsettling atmosphere” that the film aims to create.
Avezzano, working alongside lead actor Jamie MacColl, believes he was attracted to the isolated setting of the location in the autumn season for the purposes of the film’s story.
In explaining the production journey, he said: “It’s a project that’s grown and reshaped itself many times. Tonally, the film blends dark comedy and folk horror.
“After some pitching and a few near misses with funding bodies, it became clear the best path forward was to make Straw as a short film. That decision reconnected me with the DIY side of filmmaking I’d started with: finding a way to tell the story no matter what.
“If you imagine The Wicker Man or Midsommar, but told from the cult’s point of view, you’re getting close. These aren’t monsters or supernatural forces, just people who are convinced they’re doing the right thing – even if their methods are … questionable.”
The short film tells the story of Alistair Straw, played by MacColl, returning to a remote cult in which he grew up in, this time with the inclusion of his friends as support.
Avezzano outlines a “clash of identities, rituals, and family ties” that follow in his latest feature after recent projects such as Behind and “viral” horror comedy, Midgies.
Little Cumbrae joins the list of other Ayrshire locations used for filming, including Dunure for Outlander and the cliffs of Culzean Castle for Robin Hardy’s The Wicker Man
