Welcome to the Oatmeal World Cup - and if that sounds gray and boring, think again! A warm and genuinely funny Scottish film about finding the greatest meaning in the smallest things.

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STORY 

Dating back to neolithic times, few culinary traditions have survived as long as the hearty bowl of morning porridge. Despite its simple recipe of OATS, SALT and WATER there is A LOT that can vary. Each year the sleepy highland village of Carrbridge awakens with excitement as locals and competitors from around the globe vie for the honour of winning The Golden Spurtle in the World Porridge Making Championships. For ageing, charismatic, and soon-to-retire protagonist Charlie Miller, this competition means so much more than just a bowl of steaming oats. With ailing health but a responsibility to his fellow porridge committee members, Charlie is on a mission to secure the future of the championships - and his own legacy. Legacy is also at stake for Carrbridge local Ian Bishop. With his health in decline, Ian’s goal is to mount one last glorious attempt to secure the title. But there’s stiff competition. Formidable return competitor Lisa Williams, the queen of porridge, is ready to bring home the trophy. Whilst the new generation of spurtlers) Toby Wilson (Australian taco chef armed with and his radical recipe for an oat-based tortilla), and Adam Kiani (armed with his grandmother’s secret stirring technique), both want to challenge the porridge status quo. Against the backdrop of the breathtaking Scottish Highlands and infused with whimsical humour of an eclectic cast THE GOLDEN SPURTLE captures the humanity of village life and those who visit with spurtle in hand.

FILMMAKER

Constantine Costi is an award-winning director and writer working across film and opera. His 2025 feature documentary THE GOLDEN SPURTLE was selected to premiere in Copenhagen’s CPH:DOX. His film A DELICATE FIRE for Pinchgut Opera, based on the madrigals of Barbara Strozzi, was awarded Best Australian Feature Film at the Sydney Women’s Film Festival, and the ATOM Award’s Best Experimental Film. Recent theatrical highlights include SIEGFRIED AND ROY: THE UNAUTHORISED OPERA (Sydney Festival), PIERROT LUNAIRE for the Berlin Philharmoniker, IL TABARRO for Opera Australia, LA TRAVIATA ON SYDNEY HARBOUR for Opera Australia, MELBOURNE, CHEREMUSHKI for Victorian Opera (for which he won Best Director for Melbourne’s Green Room Awards) and a KURT WEILL DOUBLE BILL for The Old Fitz Theatre. He is a graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in Sydney. 

REVIEWS

"A lovingly crafted film" - Kevin Maher, THE TIMES

“…the stove-centred action is nearly as tense as an episode of The Bear” - ★★★★ LOUD AND CLEAR

"charming porridge documentary is a feast for the soul" - ★★★★ IRISH INDEPENDENT

"We deserve a film about porridge. A witty, wholesome wonder" - ★★★★ IRISH INDEPENDENT

"Irresistible...a quirky, delightful story. Good for the soul" - ★★★★ IRISH INDEPENDENT

“An incredibly funny film” - ★★★★ THE SKINNY

“Evokes the style of Wes Anderson” - ★★★★ THE SKINNY

“Delightful.” - SCREEN DAILY

“A deftly constructed crowd-pleaser with real breakout potential.” - SCREEN DAILY

“A film to nourish the soul.” - SCREEN DAILY

“As wholesome and nourishing as its oat-stirring subjects.” - ★★★★  THE GUARDIAN

“Charming.” - ★★★★  THE GUARDIAN

“A pleasure to watch.” - ★★★★  THE GUARDIAN

“A cosy celebration of porridge and its champions” - ★★★★  THE GUARDIAN

"A palate-pleasing celebration of the noble oat."  - ★★★★  THE GUARDIAN

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