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The True Story of Sawney Beane

2005 10 min
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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 …

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The True Story of Sawney Beane

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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. The story, brought to life with charcoal and soft washes of colour, is written and animated by filmmaker Elizabeth Hobbs. It is narrated in actress Sheila Donald's rich brogue and scored by Normand Roger.

Technique: charcoal and watercolour on paper.

Foreign Countries Literature and Language All subjects
  • direction
    Elizabeth Hobbs
  • script
    Elizabeth Hobbs
  • animation
    Elizabeth Hobbs
  • narration
    Sheila Donald
  • original music
    Normand Roger
  • sound design
    Normand Roger
  • original music - collaboration
    Denis Chartrand
  • sound design - collaboration
    Denis Chartrand
  • musician
    Bernard Cormier
    Michel Dubeau
    Alain Cazes
  • picture editing
    Mark Jenkins
  • story editor
    Mark Jenkins
  • sound editing
    Pierre Yves Drapeau
  • story editing
    Mark Jenkins
  • voice recording
    Stewart Wakefield
  • digital imaging specialist
    Pierre Plouffe
    Susan Gourley
  • digital film specialist
    Pierre Landry
  • re-recording
    Serge Boivin
  • video on-line
    Denis Pilon
  • titles
    Gaspard Gaudreau
  • production supervisor
    Richard Lesage
    Jennifer Loughnan
  • administration
    Gisèle Guilbault
    Jocelyne Lalonde
  • marketing manager
    Hélène Tanguay
  • executive producer
    Ken Anderson
    David Verrall
  • producer
    Katja Anderson
    Michael Fukushima

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