Private Project

Family Portrait

Margaret must convince her daughter Louise to take responsibility for the family after the death of her father, whilst the family endures the ritual of a family portrait.

  • Kelly Holmes
    Director
  • Nils Gustenhofen
    Writer
  • David Brown
    Producer
  • Charles Paviot
    Producer
  • Allison McKenzie
    Key Cast
  • Kate McLaughlin
    Key Cast
  • Douglas Russell
    Key Cast
  • Thomas Farthing
    Key Cast
  • Dylan Jameson
    Key Cast
  • Rebecca Leask
    Key Cast
  • Giga Gray
    Key Cast
  • Tom Swash
    Key Cast
  • Dylan Matthew
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Period Drama, Horror, Suspense, Drama, Thriller
  • Runtime:
    14 minutes 23 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    December 1, 2016
  • Production Budget:
    5,000 GBP
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    United Kingdom
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Arri Alexa
  • Aspect Ratio:
    1.85
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes
  • London Short Film Festival
    London
    United Kingdom
    January 7, 2017
    United Kingdom Premiere
    Nominated for Best Female Director
  • Glasgow Short Film Festival
    Glasgow
    United Kingdom
    March 17, 2017
    Scottish Premiere
    Nominated Best Scottish Short
  • Derby Film Festival
    Derby
    United Kingdom
    May 7, 2017
  • Promofest Short of the Year Competition

    Spain
    Competition
    Special Mention
  • Southside Film Festival
    Glasgow
    United Kingdom
    June 4, 2017
  • Tout Courts Film Festival
    Gisors
    France
    July 8, 2017
    French Premiere
  • Vebron Film Festival
    Vebron
    France
    July 19, 2017
  • Taratsa International Film Festival
    Thessaloniki
    Greece
    August 23, 2017
    Greek Premiere
  • Hastings Film Fringe
    Hastings
    United Kingdom
    September 15, 2017
  • Bolton International Film Festival
    Bolton
    United Kingdom
    September 20, 2017
    WINNER Best Student Film
  • First Step Film Festival
    Tirana
    Albania
    September 21, 2017
    Albanian Premiere
  • Rivne "Dream City" International Film Festival
    Rivne
    Ukraine
    September 26, 2017
  • Fimucinema - Fimucite
    Tenerife, Canary Island
    Spain
    September 27, 2017
    Nominated Best Film Score
  • Sose International Film Festival
    Yerevan
    Armenia
    September 28, 2017
    Armenian Premiere
    Nominated Best Student Film
  • AM Eygpt Film Festival
    Cairo
    Egypt
    Egyptian Premiere
    WINNER Best Directing Award
  • Festival de Cine en Corto Ciuddad de Consuegra
    Consuegra
    Spain
    October 4, 2017
  • Court Metrange
    Rennes
    France
    October 19, 2017
    Nominated Silver Melies Award
  • Chaktomuk Short Film Festival
    Phnom Penh
    Cambodia
    October 26, 2017
    Cambodian Premiere
  • Carlow International Film Festival
    Carlow
    Ireland
    November 4, 2017
    Irish Premiere
  • Inverness Film Festival
    Inverness
    United Kingdom
    November 12, 2017
  • Paris Courts Devant
    Paris
    France
    November 19, 2017
  • Cromarty Film Festival
    Cromarty
    United Kingdom
    December 2, 2017
  • MedFF
    Siracusa, Sicily
    Italy
    January 2, 2018
    Finalist Best Short Film
  • British Shorts International Film Festival Berlin
    Berlin
    Germany
    January 13, 2018
    German Premiere
  • Copper Coast International Film Festival
    Swansea
    United Kingdom
    January 22, 2018
  • La Fete du Court Metrage

    France
  • Franklin County International Film Festival
    Youngsville
    United States
    March 23, 2018
  • Cinemi Cinema International Short Film Festival
    Arezzo
    Italy
    March 23, 2018
  • Chalon Tout Court Film Festival
    Chalon-sur-Saône
    France
    March 29, 2018
    Nominated Best Film - European Competition
  • Dakota Film Festival
    Bismark
    United States
    April 6, 2018
  • The $2 Film Festival

    United States
    May 1, 2018
    Semi-Finalist
  • Fylde Film Festival
    Blackpool
    United Kingdom
    May 14, 2018
    WINNER Best Drama Film
  • Nassau Film Festival
    Princeton
    United States
    May 17, 2018
    WINNER Princeton Tiger Award
  • Mind The Indie
    Plovdiv
    Bulgaria
    June 9, 2018
    Bulgarian Premiere
    WINNER Best Student Film
  • Sleeping Giants Film Festival
    Warrenpoint, Northern Ireland
    United Kingdom
    June 30, 2018
  • Long Island International Film Festival
    Bellmore
    United States
    July 13, 2018
  • Top Indie Film Awards

    United Kingdom
    January 26, 2019
    WINNER Best Actress, WINNER Best Student Film, Nominee Best Cinematography, Nominee Best Writing
  • Genre Celebration Festival
    Tokyo
    Japan
    December 7, 2018
    WINNER Best Editing, Nominee Best Drama Short Film
  • Golden Skull Film Festival
    Glasgow
    United Kingdom
    SPECIAL MENTION
  • Tuzla Film Festival
    Tuzla
    Bosnia and Herzegovina
    Bosnia & Herzegovina Premiere
  • Birmingham Film Festival
    Brimingham
    United Kingdom
Director Biography - Kelly Holmes

Kelly Holmes has been directing shorts and crewing on films over the past ten years in the UK and beyond. She has screened her short films ‘The Grab’ and ‘Dolls’ in international film festivals worldwide, winning a Best Film award and Special Mentions.

Kelly has just completed postproduction on her Scottish short film ‘Family Portrait’, a Victorian family drama about death portrait photography. The film was shot in the historic Pollok House in Glasgow, and stars Allison McKenzie (Line of Duty, Beowulf) and Douglas Russell (Outlander, Let Us Prey). ‘Family Portrait’ has recently won the Paris Courts Devant postproduction prize, which includes a broadcast contract with France 3, working in conjunction with French co-producer Arts Premiers.

Taking sabbatical from her job as a university lecturer to concentrate on directing, she shadowed Douglas McKinnon (Line of Duty, Outlander) on the set of ‘Sherlock: The Abominable Bride’ (Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman). Kelly has also been recently mentored by Peter Strickland (Berberian Sound Studio, Duke of Burgundy).

Kelly also has a background working in live television and she is a graduate of Screen Academy Scotland’s MFA in Advanced Film Directing and she also holds MA and BA degrees.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

The ideas in 'Family Portrait' move beyond the narrative to issues of feminism both in the 1800s and now. The character of Louise represents the first wave of feminism, where women wanted change, whereas the character of Margaret gets her own way within the system of patriarchy. Some of the issues raised in the film are still being suffered by women today; domestic abuse, forced or underage marriage, and a lack of freedom in general. By looking into the systems of the past, we can realise we have both moved forward and remained the same.