The Elvermen
ABOUT
As the sun sets on the banks of the River Severn on the outskirts of an impoverished city in the UK, a group of men gather in a race to catch a vanishing creature; the elusive elver. Shot over a moonlit night, THE ELVERMEN is an atmospheric film that reveals the last of a hidden community hunting an endangered fish. After a day working in a print factory in Gloucester, Dave drives to the moonlit banks of the River Severn to hunt for an elusive fish, the rare elver (baby-eel), supposedly worth more than their weight in gold. Over the course of a night we experience the mysterious world of the Elvermen: the addictive gamble and stake-out amongst fathers, sons, brothers and friends. Phone calls of frustration and joy echo down a river lit by headtorches. THE ELVERMEN shows how a rite of passage has changed into a fight for values: of tradition, community, and a connection to nature in an environment of impending change.
Isla Badenoch is a writer, director and artist from the rural borderlands of the UK. Isla’s work is grounded in her roots as a self-taught documentary filmmaker, telling unexpected stories with kindred spirits leading unusual lives. Isla seeks to captivate an audience so that they may experience an alternative perspective. Her work disrupts stereotypical understandings of those who may have felt excluded from society in the hopes of cultivating a culture of compassion. Isla’s films have been selected for multiple OSCAR + BAFTA-qualifying festivals, longlisted for BIFA Best British Short Film Award, broadcast on BBC4 and featured online on Short of the Week, Vimeo Staff Picks, WaterBear and Minute Shorts App. Isla’s work has been commissioned and supported through BFI Network, BFI DocSociety, Ffilm Cymru, Arts Council England, BBC Arts, LUX Scotland, Screen Scotland and Statens Kunstfond. Isla is an alumni of BFI New Writers Lab, BBC ‘New Creatives’ Scheme, LUX ‘Now & Next’ Scheme,
CREDITS
Nicole Halova
WATCH
