BEARSDEN, U.K. -- The lives and illicit loves of students at a strict Catholic seminary in Bearsden have inspired a new film by a local producer.
Ryan Hendrick (29), who set up his own film company called Magic Works Entertainment, has entered Falling, his two minute production, into the Virgin Media shorts competition.
It was inspired by hearing stories about people from the former Scotus College campus on Chesters Road.
The film, starring Kenny Boyle and Claire Sheppard, opens with the dramatic words: “It happens to us all with undeniable certainty in the way that you get up every day and go about our day to day duties, whether we are employed or unemployed you can’t schedule it but it will happen when it’s the furthest thing from your heart or your mind. It will take you by surprise, you will meet that person...”
Ryan lived in a house in the grounds of Scotus College for 25 years.
His dad was the groundsman there and Ryan grew up hearing stories about the priests, some of them were forced to leave the college halfway through their training because they’d had a relationship with a woman despite it not being allowed.
The former Douglas Academy pupil even heard about some men who left the priesthood to get married after falling in love.
Ryan said: “I was privy to a lot of stuff that goes on behind the scenes, various scandals and secret love affairs.
“Students at the college would often suddenly disappear without explanation and it was only later that you would find out why.
“I got the idea for this film a few years ago.
“I realised that I’d like to tell the human story behind these events, to explore how the priests and their lovers must have felt and what they went through. It always seemed to me that they were dealt with quite harshly.
“For an outsider it appeared to be quite a backward way of dealing with what is after all part of the human condition.”
Falling is available to watch by clicking on the following link www.virginmediashorts.co.uk/film/4704/falling.
A panel of judges, including famous film-maker Shane Meadows, best known for This is England and Dead Man’s Shoes, and well know broadcasters will select 12 finalists.
These films will be screened in cinemas in the UK as trailers and a 13th film will also get the chance to become a finalist if it gets enough likes and shares on social media.
Ryan added: “If people would watch my film and like it in Facebook and Twitter that would be fantastic and could make all the difference.
“It would be great to be a finalist.”
Ryan’s low budget film Minds of Glass, set in the Scottish Highlands, got the prestigious Gold Ebenezer award at the Festival of Nations last year.

Notes for Editors

Writer/Director/Producer - Ryan Hendrick
Actors - Kenny Boyle & Clare Sheppard
Music Composer - Kieran Dougall

Ryan previously was nominated for BAFTA Scotland New Talent Award in 2010 for his short film CHOICES