Relative Films Ltd is the award winning Edinburgh based production company of Duncan Cowles, a BAFTA Scotland award winning documentary filmmaker.
Described by The Guardian in 2024 as 'the new Louis Theroux' Duncan's films are known for their heart and their humour. He specialises in filming personal stories, and making them highly accessible to a wide audience.
Through his production company Duncan's short films such as Taking Stock, Isabella & Outlets have been screen at A-list festivals such as BFI London Film Festival and won numerous awards and nominations such as those listed below.
Relative Films' first feature documentary commission Silent Men was funded by Screen Scotland & The Whickers, and explores the theme of men's mental health. Silent Men premiered at Sheffield Doc/Fest in 2024 and received a Special Mention in the International First Features Competition. The film was then picked up for UK release by distributor Cosmic Cat and World Sales by Film Harbour. The UK theatrical release was on International Men’s Day, 19th November 2024 in partnership with charity Andy’s Man Club.
In 2020 Relative Films co-produced x6 30minute episodes of Scary Adult Things, a brand new docu-series created by Duncan Cowles which looked at the struggles of the millennial generation for BBC Scotland & BBCiplayer and aired in March 2021.
Relative Films has been commissioned to produce film and television work for Channel 4, STV, BBC Scotland, BBC Radio 4, TED, Adobe, Red Bull Media House and more. We have also carried out commissions for charities and organisations such as Maggie's, Edinburgh Zoo and National Galleries of Scotland.
Established in 2017, Relative Films collaborates with a large network of talented freelancers to make projects happen across Scotland and the UK.
Get in touch:
info@duncancowles.com
Key Awards
Winner - BAFTA Scotland Award, Best Short Film 2016
Winner - Royal Television Society Scotland Award 2018
Winner - 2016 Scottish Short Film Award - Glasgow Short Film Festival
Winner - 2015 Scottish Short Film Award - Glasgow Short Film Festival
Winner - BFI Best UK Short Film & RAW Award 2016
Winner - Audience Award NoBudget Competition, Hamburg International Short Film Festival 2016
Winner - Audience Award, Kyiv International Short FF 2018
Winner - Audience Award, Szczecin European FF 2018
Winner - Vienna Shorts Two Month Artist Residency 2017 with Q21 & MuseumsQuartier
Winner - Best UK Short, Open City Documentary Festival 2017
Winner - Best Documentary, The Smalls Film Festival 2022
Winner - Audience Award, Flatpack Film Festival 2023
Winner - Best Editing, Aesthetica Short Film Festival 2024
Winner - Best Documentary, Scottish Mental Health & Arts Festival 2024
Honourable Mention - Best International Short Film - Norwegian Short Film Festival 2019
Special Mention - International First Features Competition, Sheffield Doc/Fest 2024
Nominated - IPSE Freelance Project of the Year 2019
Nominated - BAFTA Scotland New Talent 2014: Best Factual
Nominated - London Critics Circle Award - Best British Short Film 2016, 2017 & 2024
Nominated - Royal Television Society Scotland Student Best Factual 2013
Nominated - Channel 4 Award for Innovation in Storytelling
Nominated - Best Documentary, London Short FF 2016
Nominated - Creative Edinburgh Award 2017 & 2020
Nominated - Best Comedy Short, Loco Film Fest 2019 & 2021
Festival Highlights
Raindance Film Festival, BFI London Film Festival, BFI Future Film Festival, Sheffield Doc/Fest, Edinburgh International Film Festival, Cork International Film Festival, Black Nights Film Festival PÖFF, Hot Springs Documentary Festival, ZagrebDox, Hamburg International Short Film Festival, Encounters Short Film Festival, International Kurzfilmtage Winterthur, Dresden International Short Film Festival, Uppsala Short Film Festival, IndieLisboa Film Festival, VIS Vienna Shorts, Glasgow Short Film Festival, Norwegian Short Film Festival, London Short Film Festival, Aesthetica Short Film Festival, Seville European Film Festival, Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, Interfilm Berlin International Short Film Festival, GoShort International Short Film Festival Nijmegen, Internationale Kurzfilmwoche Regensburg, Brussels Short Film Festival, Uppsala International Short Film Festival, Szczecin European Film Festival, Cellu L’art Short Film Festival, ZubrOFFka International Short Film Festival, Norwegian International Short Film Festival, Message to Man International Short Film Festival, DokumentArt European Film Festival, XpoNorth, Inverness Film Festival, The Smalls Film Festival, Kyiv International Short Film Festival, Flatpack Film Festival, East End Film Festival, British Shorts Berlin, Loco Comedy Film Festival, Kasseler Dok Fest, São Paulo International Short Film Festival, This is England Film Festival, Lille European Film Festival, Alchemy Film & Arts Festival
Visit Duncan's website (www.duncancowles.com) for full body of work and portfolio including all personal films, commissions, commercials, corporate videos and other work.
Relative Films Ltd registered in Scotland SC543524.