FRIDAY 7 NOVEMBER AT 8PM UGC HAYMARKET SCREEN 1

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Country UK Running Time 102 mins Format HD Dir/S'play Richard Jobson Prods Hamish McAlpine, Mark Burton DoP John Rhodes Cast Kevin KcKidd, Laura Fraser, Susan Lynch, Ewen Bremner Print Source Tartan Films E cbarwick@metro-tartan.co.uk

'Sometimes for some people things don't work out as they might have hoped.' So begins our journey into the violent world of Frankie Mac (played by a riveting Kevin McKidd) and his 16 years of alcohol from boyhood to manhood.

As a boy, Frankie's illusions of perfect love are shattered by the alcohol-drenched betrayals of his once adored father. When Frankie himself falls in love, first with Helen (Fraser), then with Mary (Lynch), his aggression and distrust make him unable to sustain any form of loving relationship. The bleak story of Frankie Mac offers us hope at many a turn, but Frankie himself seems unable to understand, until the very last moment, that what happens next really is up to him.

The film is at times poetic and often surreal, but somehow it remains painfully real, like a series of important moments in a life viewed through one's own memory of heightened emotions and senses. Shot on high definition with a minimal budget the production values are impressive, with camerawork and direction that give us the city of Edinburgh as one of the main stars of the film. JvF

At 16, Richard Jobson was the front man of Scottish punk band The Skids. He went on to study theatre and film, working with a theatre group for many years before moving to Brussels where he recorded four poetry albums and wrote two books. One of those books is 16 Years of Alcohol, which is the basis for this, his directorial debut. Jobson has been nominated for best directorial debut at this year's British Independent Film Awards.