Keys to the Castle

Letting go of a lifetime inside a Scottish castle

Keys to the Castle is an observational documentary centred on Sandy and Alisoun Grant, a married couple who have spent more than four decades living in Inverquharity Castle in rural Scotland. After rebuilding the castle from ruins and maintaining it largely by themselves, they now find that advancing age makes the daily care of its rooms, corridors and gardens increasingly hard to sustain.

Filmed during their final months in the castle, the documentary follows the couple as they come to terms with the decision to sell the property and move to a smaller home better suited to their needs. Much of the narrative rests on Alisoun, whose vitality and determination contrast with Sandy’s more sedentary state. She manages the upkeep of the castle, welcomes potential buyers, guides visitors through the building, tends the gardens and carries the emotional weight of the transition.

Through a quiet observational approach, punctuated by carefully placed questions, the film allows Sandy and Alisoun to reflect on their shared past, their memories of rebuilding the castle and the life they have created within its walls. These recollections are enriched by 16 millimetre archival footage that evokes their earlier years.

As the keys are finally handed over, the film gently explores the difficulty of detachment, the strain of downsizing from a castle to a bungalow, and the shifting balance within a long marriage. At its core, Keys to the Castle is an intimate portrait of ageing, commitment and love, capturing a couple facing the end of one chapter and the uncertain beginning of another with dignity, tenderness and resilience.