Brian Durnin’s Spilt Milk Glasgow Film Festival’s Audience Award

Tonight Glasgow Film Festival will close with the world premiere of Make it to Munich. Before the film, Brian Durnin’s Spilt Milk was announced of the winner of the 2025 Audience Award.

Tonight also was a heartfelt farewell to the festival’s director Alison Gardner, who is retiring after
been at Glasgow Film for over 30 years.

The Glasgow Film Festival Audience Award was established in 2015 and is the only prize decided by the festival audiences. Sponsored by MUBI, it gives audiences the chance to vote for their favourite film from a shortlisted group of feature film titles by first or second-time directors.

Lewis Brophy) goes missing. Their hunt takes them into the dangerous underbelly of the housing estate where they live, as the harsh realities of addiction are presented through a child’s eyes. Brian Durnin’s ambitious and well-crafted drama anchors its stronger, adult themes in the sweet central performances of newcomers Sullivan and Kelly.

Spilt Milk director Brian Durnin commented “We’re deeply honoured to accept this wonderful award and to know that our film connected with the audiences at Glasgow Film Festival. The city and festival will forever hold a place in our hearts.”

The film’s Glasgow-based producer James Heath and fellow producer Laura McNicholas added: “We’re delighted to receive the Audience Award sponsored by MUBI from the Glasgow Film Festival and want to thank their incredible audiences – seeing their enthusiasm for Spilt Milk is really special.”

The runner-up was German comedy Two to One, starring double-Oscar nominee Sandra Huller.

You can check out our coverage of 2025 Glasgow Film Festival here

Allison Gardner, the Glasgow Film Festival director, said: “Being part of Glasgow Film Festival has been the most fun, rewarding and brilliant time over the last 21 years. From co-directing alongside the wonderful Allan Hunter to going solo the last couple of years I have had the most fabulous and friendship from the exceptional teams in our organisation. I have met some wonderful filmmakers and guests over the years and witnessed audiences fall in love with films that have changed their lives for the better. I will miss the rush of excitement when an audience takes a film to their hearts and no other festival in the world has better audiences, however it is time to hand the baton over. I’m immensely proud that the film festival lives by the ethos of GFT and that we uphold ‘Cinema For All’.”

Once again like last year we were unable to see Spilt Milk. It was the scheduling that made it impossible to check out every film.  The 2025  edition of the festival from the reaction of all the writers compared to 2024 has not been the best of festivals. You can’t have it great every year, it’s the gamble you take but well done to Spilt Milk!