Glasgow takes a starring role in new independent Scottish rom com about flatmates expecting a baby
Kevin Walls, a former video journalist who also wrote for River city, had to work with a tight budget of £33,000 and shot the whole film in just 23 days during a heatwave.
Glasgow in all her glory is being showcased on the big screen - without the illusion of New York or Gotham City this time - in a new Scottish rom com that also attempts to shake off the city’s gritty tag.
Indie film Premature is a story of two flat mates who find themselves expecting a baby after a one-night stand. It was written, directed and produced by Kevin Walls who was keen to let Scotland biggest city’s shine and said he is “delighted to bring a Scottish rom com to cinemas so people can finally see Glasgow on screen as Glasgow”.
In Spider-Man: Brand New Day - which has become the highest-grossing film of all time in North America - Spidey can be spotted swinging through the city’s St Vincent Street with more action filmed across city centre and Merchant City streets.
Earlier this month The Batmobile, Gotham City police cars and artificial snow again transformed St Vincent Street and Bothwell Street as crews film high-stakes sequence rehearsals for blockbuster The Batman: Part II, set to hit screens in February 2028 starring Robert Pattinson and Scarlett Johansson.
But in a stark contrast in scale Kevin, a former video journalist who also wrote for River City, had to work with a tight budget of £33,000 and shot the whole film in just 23 days during a heatwave.
The film will run on the independent cinema circuit but is also being shown in Showcase, Odeon and Omniplex.
He said the whole cast and crew pulled together as a team with a combined goal in a collaboration that was “not full of rampant egos”.
“A group of people all worked hard every day to make something happen,” said actor James Rottger, who plays expectant dad Cameron.
Kevin, a BAFTA Scotland New Talent winner, even stepped in to star in a cameo when another actor pulled out.
Elle Watson who plays the Eilidh, the other half of the leading couple, said: “He had enough jobs - writing, directing, producing, sound set design, catering and everything else.
“But the actor who was meant to play that role had a last minute conflict. He [Kevin] improvised the whole thing.”
Premature has been described romantic comedy “told backwards”.
“They are having a baby before they get to the date or the meet-cute,” explained James.
Scenes were filmed in the West End, Cumbernauld and Chryston and also take in landmarks Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery and The Griffin pub.
“Glasgow is absolutely stunning in it. It will look amazing in a way that is different to how it does in other films,” James said.
Elle added: “This is a universal story. You could take this story and the characters and apply to other situations and people would relate to but there is something really beautiful about it being in Glasgow.
“That is because we don’t see a lot of these stories reflected in Glasgow - everything is usually quite dark and gritty - about drugs and violence - and these things definitely exist in the city but to have this film that is a comedy and is bright and colourful makes you proud to be from Glasgow.
The team behind Premature hope their efforts will question the city’s typecasting mould and open doors for other films like theirs.
James added: “Scotland doesn’t have to be restricted to Trainspotting and Outlander. Scotland can do rom coms.”
Premature was released in cinemas on September 18.
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