Silent Men + Plunge + Q&A

Part therapy, part road trip, a deadpan filmmaker asks men how they show their emotions, to help him confront his own struggles with opening up to loved ones.

Silent Men: The Awkward Art of Expressing Emotion is the debut feature-length documentary from BAFTA Scotland winning Scottish filmmaker Duncan Cowles.

Director – Duncan Cowles

Duncan Cowles (he/him) is a BAFTA Scotland Award winning documentary filmmaker whose films are often known for their heart and humour. 

He has directed a number of short films over the years such as ‘Directed by Tweedie’, ‘Isabella’ and ‘Taking Stock’. His shorts have screened at A-list festivals such as BFI London Film Festival, and won a selection of awards at festivals such as Glasgow Short Film Festival, Open City Documentary Festival, BFI Future Film Festival, Hamburg Short Film Festival and The Smalls. 

His first feature documentary ‘Silent Men’, supported by Screen Scotland & The Whickers, explores the theme of men’s mental health and premiered at Sheffield Doc/Fest in 2024 and was awarded a Special Mention in the International First Features Competition. 

He’s won a Royal Television Society Award and been nominated three times for Best UK short film at the London Critics Circle Awards. His shorts have been regularly featured on platforms such as Short of the Week, Vimeo Staff Picks, BFI Player, It’s Nice That and BBCiPlayer. 

Duncan has been commissioned to write and direct documentaries for Channel 4, STV, BBC Scotland, BBC Radio 4, TED, Adobe and more. In 2020 Duncan was commissioned to make x6 30minute episodes of his own new documentary TV series ‘Scary Adult Things’ which looks at the struggles of the millennial generation for BBC Scotland and BBCiplayer which aired in March 2021.

A beautifully animated short film that tells the story of Katie who found empowerment, friendship and healing by plunging into the frigid waters of the sea. As her voice relates to us the physical and mental struggles that have plagued her for decades, her animated form darts confidently through kelp forests on the ocean floor. 

She tells us about her strong community and the tremendous physical benefits of cold-water swimming. Through Katie’s story, the film addresses themes of isolation and connection, mental health and wellbeing, climate change and empowerment.