Evenings of “Demented Cinema”

BAFTA award-winning filmmaker Ian Bustard, a resident of Forfar, is set to tour his latest works across Angus and Scotland in December and January. The ‘Evening of Demented Cinema’ features two powerful new films that serve as a profound tribute to the late creative artist and activist, Ron Coleman, known widely as “The Demented Poet.”

The tour, which has already received an incredibly positive reception during its cinema run, is now focusing on community screenings in dementia-friendly meeting centres in Arbroath, Kirriemuir, and Forfar, alongside a showing at the Montrose Playhouse. The tour has been funded by Angus Rural Partnership as a way to bring quality filmmaking to people living in small towns. Meeting Centres Scotland have supported the film from the beginning and are delighted to be part of the screening experience.

The Demented Poets: A Story of Creativity and Connection

The main feature of the evening is the feature documentary, The Demented Poets, which recently won the Humanitarian Award at the Activists Without Borders Film Festival.

The film originated from a deeply personal place for director Ian Bustard. The documentary follows his own journey after his father was diagnosed with dementia. This led him to meet Ron Coleman, who proudly used the moniker “The Demented Poet” and passionately used creativity to express and challenge how he lived with his condition.

Bustard filmed Ron over two years, capturing how individuals living with dementia can produce meaningful art, and how this process profoundly helps them navigate the illness. The film is a moving personal story about family, creativity, connection, love, and humanity, showcasing Ron as he mobilises other dementia activists and artists across Scotland to put on the country’s first Dementia Arts Festival.

Short Film: Caught in this Moment in Time

The evening’s double-bill includes the short film, Caught in this Moment in Time, directed by Bustard and shot on the atmospheric Isle of Uist. Ron Coleman plays himself in this powerful drama about a writer with dementia struggling with writer’s block. His sole companion is the AI system Alexa. The film offers an intimate exploration of creativity, self-care, and mortality.

A Poignant Celebration of Ron Coleman’s Legacy

For Ian Bustard, who is based locally in Forfar, the tour has become a vital way to honour Ron Coleman’s life and artistic activism.

“The Demented Cinema tour is now a profound and vital celebration of Ron Coleman’s life and art,”

says filmmaker Ian Bustard.

“Ron used his creativity not only to challenge perceptions of dementia but to truly live, right up to the end. These films—especially The Demented Poets—are a moving testament to his courage, his love, and his humanity, and we are honoured to share his incredible legacy with audiences across Angus and Scotland.”

Launch of The F Ward Project

Following the screenings, attendees are invited to stay for a discussion and the official launch of a new collaborative project titled The F Ward. This initiative is a new venture between Ian Bustard, the late Ron Coleman, and writer Simon Macallum.

Local media are invited to attend and cover the screenings. Interviews with Ian Bustard are available upon request.

• 26th of November – An Lanntair, Stornoway  To book tickets click here
• 27th of November – Eden Court, Inverness To book tickets click here
• 4th of December – Kirrie Connections, Kirriemuir 7PM
• 17th of December – Lochside Connections, Forfar 7PM  To book tickets click here 
• 22nd of January – Montrose Playhouse, Montrose
• 23rd of January  – Eastgate Arts, Peebles 1pm

For information on local screening dates and to reserve tickets for events where the ticket listing is not live please email – ian@undergroundcinemaclub.org or visit Underground Cinema Club.

Supported by Angus Rural Partnership with funding from the Scottish Government’s Rural Community-Led Local Development Fund 2025-2026, part of the Scottish Rural Development Programme.