The True Story of Sawney Beane
10”38’
In 16th-century Scotland, young Sawney Beane yearns to itch and scratch and buccaneer. So he bids farewell to his parents and their life of honest toil. Forty years on, Mr. Beane croaks his dying wish to Betty, his wife. “Go and find our lost son.” And so Betty strikes off on her quest across the land, with the family savings in a hankie and a secret suspicion in her heart. The True Story of Sawney Beane reveals what really happened to the infamous Scottish cannibal. Not only was he the vilest felon in the kingdom of King James VI, he was also a son, beloved of Betty. Credits: Written, directed and animated by Elizabeth Hobbs, musical score by Normand Roger, Narrated by Sheila Donald, story and picture edit by Mark Jenkins, co-produced by Michael Fukushima for The National Film Board of Canada and Katja Anderson for Red Kite Productions.
Awards: Winner of The McLaren award, Edinburgh International Film Festival 2005. Winner of the Cineplex Odeon award for best short film at the Victoria Independent Film Festival, Centaur Prize for best animation at the Message to Man festival in St Petersburg. Nominated for a Scottish BAFTA in 2005. Short-listed for the 15th Kodak/BAFTA short film showcase in 2006.
Elizabeth Hobbs 