A short film has preserved some of the final images of a derelict housing estate nicknamed "Scotland's Chernobyl" before demolition crews dismantled the site. The tenements at Clune Park in Port Glasgow were constructed a century ago to house shipyard workers, but remained largely vacant for years before being torn down.
Glasgow-based filmmaker Alessio Avezzano shot scenes for his post-apocalyptic sci-fi horror comedy, Behind, on the estate before bulldozers arrived in May 2025.
"It's the last film to be made there. It was announced it would be demolished the day we were filming - we managed to get in there not a moment too soon,"said the Scottish-Italian writer and director.
Why was the estate abandoned?
Redevelopment of Clune Park had stalled for years due to disputes between private landlords and the local council, leaving the site frozen in time with only a handful of residents remaining. Large sections deteriorated significantly, prompting comparisons with Pripyat, the Ukrainian city evacuated following the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster and subsequent radiation release.
What is the film about?
The plot for Behind was inspired by "butt dialling"—accidentally calling someone when a phone is placed in a back pocket. In the film, such accidental calls trigger catastrophic consequences. Avezzano conceived the idea while developing a screenplay.
"That week my cousin, who hadn't done this before or since, just started to butt dial me every day and by the fifth day the light bulb moment came,"he explained.
"It is basically taking the idea of butt dials and what if they were a symptom of something more deadly."
The filmmaker noted that the short incorporates broader themes.
"It's got elements of how we responded to the pandemic and it's got elements of phone addiction and social media addiction. It's post-apocalyptic satire."The lead character is performed by Jade McDonald, who appeared in the female-led production of Singin' I'm No a Billy He's a Tim, a theatrical work centred on a Celtic supporter and a Rangers supporter confined in a prison cell together on the day of an Old Firm match.
Why film at Clune Park?
Avezzano selected Clune Park as the ideal setting for the short, with scenes filmed in publicly accessible areas.
"The idea it was described as Scotland's Chernobyl has always been fascinating."The estate had previously served as a filming location for the 2013 sci-fi horror film Under the Skin, which starred Scarlett Johansson. Avezzano is currently developing his first feature film, Midgies, a horror production set in Scotland scheduled for release in 2026.
How has the film been received?
Behind was entirely self-funded and has toured international film festivals following its premiere at Glasgow Film Festival's Frightfest. The short, which runs for 17 minutes and 35 seconds, was selected for the 2026 Exit 6 Film Festival and won best international short at Roswell Shorts Festival in New Mexico. The film has screened at festivals in Italy and Argentina.
What happens next at Clune Park?
The demolition of the estate has progressed in phases. Phase two of demolition began on 20 February 2026, targeting blocks on Robert Street, Clune Park Street and Maxwell Street, with work expected to finish in summer 2026. Inverclyde Council approved a plan in principle in 2026 for up to 135 new homes on the site. The council is progressing arrangements for further demolition of dangerous buildings, with the wider redevelopment to follow the masterplan approved in 2023, which originally aimed to replace the estate with up to 165 affordable homes for social rent. Delivery of the new housing depends on securing remaining ownership, planning permission and external funding.
Key Facts
- Behind is a 17-minute sci-fi horror comedy inspired by accidental phone calls, filmed at Clune Park before its demolition in May 2025
- The estate, built a century ago for shipyard workers, was abandoned for years and compared to Pripyat due to its derelict state
- The film has won awards at international festivals and screened in Italy, Argentina and the United States
- Demolition of Clune Park is proceeding in phases, with phase two underway and new housing planned for the site
