Creative Scotland Crowdmatch provided £1,585 of match funding
CATERHAUGH - A Fairytale
Pitlochry, Perth and Kinross, United Kingdom
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Aim
Help us complete Caterhaugh, a dark modern Scottish fairytale, by funding the final edit, sound design, colour grade, and final delivery.
This project is match funded by Creative Scotland meaning all contributions up to £250 per individual will be doubled.
Caterhaugh is a short film set in a mystical Highland town. Principal photography took place earlier this year in Pitlochry, with the town itself becoming an integral part of the film. With filming complete, we now move into the next stage of the film’s journey: shaping the story in the edit, building its world through sound, and finishing its image through colour grading. This final stage is about bringing all of those elements together and giving the film the care it needs to be shown at its very best.
~Still from Caterhaugh
Tam Ordynov, a Scottish writer suffering from writer's block, lives in the secluded mansion of his publisher in a remote Highland town. In one fateful day Tam’s life unravels as he loses his home, job and his love. As despair takes hold, Tam encounters a mysterious stranger in a local pub who offers him a strange proposition: a chance of discovery that could change his fate. Drawn by the promise of inspiration and escape, Tam follows the man's instructions and heads for the surrounding forest, where he encounters something ancient and uncanny.
~Still from Caterhaugh
The Ballad of Tam Lin, a beloved Scottish ballad, was notably preserved and popularised by Robert Burns in 1796. The ballad tells the story of Janet, a young woman who encounters Tam Lin, a mortal man held captive by the Queen of the Fairies in the mythical forest of Carterhaugh. Like many traditional ballads, Tam Lin has evolved through generations, changing as it is passed from voice to voice. Caterhaugh embraces this tradition of transformation, transporting the story into the modern day while preserving the mystery, romance, and supernatural allure at its heart.
~Production Still from Caterhaugh
Caterhaugh was built around collaboration with the community of Pitlochry. Local businesses provided key filming locations, accommodation, services, and logistical support, while residents participated as supporting artists and helped create the welcoming environment that made the production possible. The crew consisted of professional practitioners alongside emerging talent as well as demonstrations to local students, creating opportunities for collaboration and knowledge exchange.
~Still from Caterhaugh
Funding will support the remaining post-production work needed to bring the film to completion, including picture, sound and final technical delivery. It will help us complete the film to a professional standard, protect the quality of the work already achieved during production, and ensure it is properly prepared for public screenings and audiences.
Neil Leiper (BBC’s Mint 2026, On Falling 2024) stars in the role of Tam Ordynov. Supporting cast includes Camille Rutherford (Nino 2025, Anatomy of a Fall 2023), Clive Russell (The Death of Robin Hood 2026, The Last Duel 2021), filmmaker Daniel Goldhaber (Faces of Death 2026, How to Blow Up a Pipeline 2022) and Patrick de Valette (Poor Things 2023).
Executive produced by Alan Cumming.
~Still from Caterhaugh
Schillaci Malmond is the writer-director of Caterhaugh, a filmmaker and visual artist whose work spans cinema, painting and experimental moving image. A graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Malmond received the Bill Paterson Screen Prize for screenwriting and brings a distinctly visual, richly atmospheric sensibility to his filmmaking practice.
~ Production Still from Caterhaugh, Schillaci Malmond
The filming of Caterhaugh would not have been possible without the extraordinary support of the local community and the established film practitioners who went above and beyond to help deliver a professional production. We aim to carry this same spirit of collaboration and professionalism into post-production, creating a polished cinematic experience for local audiences while positioning Caterhaugh as a strong contender on the international film festival circuit.
The Herald – Touch of Hollywood as new Burns-inspired film shoots in Pitlochry
The Scotsman – New York director rediscovered 'majesty of Scotland' making Pitlochry film
Funding method
Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 29th November 2026 at 4:34pm