Private Project

The Thistle in the Kiss

Declan has had no luck with the holidays: his girlfriend Stephanie broke up with him on the way to Christmas dinner.
He's managed to keep it secret until New Year's Day, when his car breaks down and his sister Rachel shows up to help him fix it.
Crumbling under her relentless curiosity, Declan is now on a crash course to confront the poor decisions of his life.

  • Craig Andrew Robertson
    Director
    Last House on CCTV, Into the Bleak
  • Craig Andrew Robertson
    Writer
    Last House on CCTV, Into the Bleak
  • C.J. Lazaretti
    Writer
    Cosmico, Last House on CCTV, Fight The Tower, Into the Bleak
  • Leonora Cooke
    Writer
  • Reece Steel
    Producer
    UFO, Worlds Apart, SOCO
  • Leonora Cooke
    Key Cast
    "Stephanie"
    Into the Bleak, Up in Smoke
  • Sarah Coyne
    Key Cast
    "Rachel"
    Drumsticks
  • Craig Andrew Robertson
    Key Cast
    "Declan"
    Into the Bleak
  • Calum Menzies
    Cinematography
    Into the Bleak, Sam, MS: Mexico & Me
  • Project Type:
    Feature
  • Genres:
    Drama, coming of age
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 20 minutes 30 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    October 30, 2025
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    United Kingdom
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Black & White and Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
Distribution Information
  • Freestyle Digital Media
    Distributor
    Country: United States
    Rights: All Rights
    Country: Canada
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - Craig Andrew Robertson

Craig is a Scottish-Canadian filmmaker who has been making films for over fifteen years. After working as a trainee in The Acolyte (Disney+), he taught film at Magma Pictures' Young Film Academy in London, UK. His short film Last House on CCTV won the Audience Choice Award at the 2021 Scottish Short Film Festival. The Thistle in the Kiss is his directorial debut feature film.

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Director Statement

Christmas in Scotland is all about the three Bs: booze, binge-eating, and bickering with your family,” Robertson said in a statement. “If you do it right, you wake up on New Year’s Day with a replenished, stronger appreciation for your loved ones. And if not…you’ve still had a bloody fun time, aye? That’s what we’re going for with The Thistle in the Kiss. Happy Holidays, and Sláinte Mhath!