- Filmed near, Gatehouse of Fleet, in Dumfrie and Galloway, ‘A Dairy Story’ wins the Louis Marcus Award for Best Documentary at its world premiere in Cork
- The independent Scottish feature documentary follows Wilma and David Finlay, who pioneered cow-with-calf dairy farming at scale in Galloway
- The screening took place days before the film’s subject travels to the World Dairy Summit in Chile to speak about animal welfare in dairy farming
- The UK premiere of the film will take place at Central Scotland Documentary Festival in Stirling on 1 November
An independent documentary about transforming Scottish dairy farming has won the Louis Marcus Award for Best Documentary at IndieCork – Ireland’s premiere festival of independent film.
‘A Dairy Story’ played to a sold-out screening at The Arc Cinema in Cork on 11th October, followed by a 30-minute audience discussion that festival programmer Dervla Baker described as “thoughtful and insightful, with people deeply moved by the film.”
The documentary follows David and Wilma Finlay of Rainton Farm in southwest Scotland, who spent two decades developing Europe’s first commercially viable cow-with-calf dairy system – keeping calves with their mothers for months rather than separating them within hours of birth. The farm was previously the home of ice cream visitor attraction Cream o’ Galloway, and is now known for its artisan cheese, The Ethical Dairy.
The screening took place just before David Finlay, travelled to Chile to address the World Dairy Summit, organised by the International Dairy Federation.
Introducing the screening, Dervla Baker, who selected the film for the festival, said: “What I love about this film is that it shows the truth of transformational change – it’s not always an easy journey, but the results can be worth it.”
Director Ian Findlay said: “Winning such a prestigious award at our world premiere was completely unexpected and feels a little surreal. It was wonderful to see how deeply the Cork audience connected with Wilma and David’s story.
“We are first time film-makers and it was a privilege to document this remarkable farm and the people who had the courage to pioneer such a major change, so this award is a recognition of the farm’s achievement just as much as it is a celebration of the film.”
IndieCork announced earlier this year that 2025 would be its final festival, dedicating this closing edition to the memory of founder Tony Langlois, who passed away in October 2024. Over 13 years, the volunteer-run festival became a vital platform for independent filmmakers, championing new voices and connecting Cork talent to a global network of filmmakers.
The Louis Marcus Award for Best Documentary is named after the legendary Irish documentary filmmaker Louis Marcus, a pioneering figure in Irish documentary cinema for over six decades. The festival’s decision to close makes this final slate of awards particularly significant for the filmmakers recognised.
Producer Lorna Young added: “To premiere at IndieCork’s final festival was an honour in itself, but the response to the film was extraordinary. We are so grateful for the warmth, hospitality and interest that festival organisers and viewers extended.
“That IndieCork chose to include our film in their final programme, and that the judges recognised it with this award, affirms that David and Wilma’s story was one that needed to be told.”
The award carries added poignancy following Wilma Finlay’s death from cancer in March 2025. Filming began shortly after her diagnosis, racing against time to document her and David’s pioneering innovation.
The international reach of the Finlay’s work will be evident this week as David addresses the World Dairy Summit in Chile, where he’ll give a talk called “Dairying Beyond the Paradigm” in a panel session focused on animal welfare in dairy farming. During his visit, he will also meet with Chilean dairy farmers, including one who is implementing a cow-with-calf system.
Rainton Farm operates 340 hectares in Galloway, milking 120 cows in a system that has eliminated over £100,000 in annual input costs – including fertilisers, weedkillers, and antibiotics – while producing calves that grow at twice the rate of conventionally reared calves. The farm has been certified organic for more than 20 years and is 100% pasture-based, using no cereals or soya.
Interest in cow-with-calf dairy farming is growing across Europe. David Finlay serves on the Advisory Board of TransformDairyNet, a €3 million EU project coordinated by University College Dublin that aims to promote cow-calf contact systems adoption and facilitate knowledge sharing.
Early audience reviews have praised the film’s emotional impact alongside its agricultural innovation. One viewer wrote: “This is a beautiful documentary about a farm in Scotland, cows and calves and the interesting social aspects of a herd. But above all, it is a heartwarming documentary about life and an uplifting story for everyone and every age.”
The film is now set for its UK premiere at Central Scotland Documentary Festival on Saturday 1st November at 7.45pm at the Macrobert Arts Centre in Stirling.
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