The full programme has been announced for Scotland’s premier environmental film festival, the second annual LandxSea Film Festival, which returns with an exciting three days of inspiring films and thought-provoking conversations designed to spark a deeper connection with our planet.
The festival is the brainchild of Montrose-based filmmaker and podcaster Anthony Baxter (You’ve Been Trumped) and Edinburgh-based festival producer Rachel Caplan (previously of San Francisco Green Film Festival) and will bring a host of new feature films and special guests to the state-of-the-art community-owned Montrose Playhouse from Friday 13 to Sunday 15 September.
LandxSea 2024 will open with the Scottish premiere of Charlie Hamilton James’ Shetland-shot Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story. A wild otter and a man form an unlikely bond that transforms both their lives in a documentary that explores their shared joys and challenges, highlighting the profound connection between humans and the natural world.
The festival will then close with the multi-award-winning The Eagle with the Sunlit Eye, Ted Simpson’s account of the dramatic reintroduction of the white-tailed eagle in Britain and the ensuing conflict within Scotland’s rural community. This gripping documentary combines breath-taking visuals and intense action to explore humanity's uneasy relationship with this apex predator.
Other feature documentary highlights across the packed three-day festival include:
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The Scottish Premiere of The Battle For Laikipia, Daphne Matziaraki and Peter Murimi’s nuanced look at climate change and historical injustices igniting a conflict between Indigenous pastoralists and white ranchers in Kenya's Laikipia County.
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The Bough Breaks, charting Alan Watson Featherstone’s inspiring efforts to restore Scotland’s ancient Caledonian forest and the pivotal role of rewilding in addressing the global environmental crisis. Featuring renowned conservationists and ecologists, the film emphasises individual responsibility in environmental stewardship and the enduring impact of Alan's legacy.
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The UK Premiere of Chasing Time, as the team behind the Emmy Award-winning Chasing Ice returns for a final mission, closing a 15-year project with an unprecedented photographic record of the world’s melting glaciers. A mesmerising big-screen experience exploring time, mortality, and the powerful impact of over a million images documenting climate change.
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The UK Festival Premiere of Notes from Sheepland, the crowd-pleasing Irish documentary about lipstick-wearing, always-swearing, no-nonsense artist and shepherd Orla Barry. Living in South East Ireland with her flock of Lleyn sheep, Orla balances the tensions of being an artist and eco-farmer, finding inspiration in both worlds and reflecting on her primal, poetic bond with nature.
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The UK Festival Premiere of Planet Wind, which joins renewable energy pioneer Andy Evans on a global journey exploring the transformative potential of offshore wind energy and its role in our sustainable future. Featuring over twenty offshore wind experts, Planet Wind delves into the development of offshore wind energy, its potential to revitalise regions, and its crucial role in achieving energy independence and reducing emissions.
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The UK Premiere of Send Kelp!, following Canada’s self-professed “Seaweed Nerd” Frances Wallace, as she embarks on an ambitious kelp farming project off the country’s west coast, discovering the potential of this miraculous organism along the way.
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X Trillion, UK director Eleanor Church’s story of the fourteen women who set sail on a 3,000-mile journey across the North Pacific to confront the plastic pollution crisis, aiming to transform both their lives and the planet’s future. Battling high seas and storms, the crew conducts ground-breaking microplastics research, revealing the hidden crisis beneath the ocean surface and offering a hopeful, optimistic call to action.
Alongside the feature films, LandxSea will celebrate short film talent including a programme highlighting rising sea levels – one of the Montrose community’s most pressing concerns – and the World Premiere of Finding Bo, following photographer Karen Miller as she braves the wintery Scottish elements to capture the lives of mountain hares, exploring the delicate balance between nature and adventure.
Other highlights outside of the Playhouse include an iconic red phone box pop-up cinema offering a one-seat cinematic experience featuring films with local context and global relevance. The solo cinema-goer can enjoy a series of short films, as well as the classic features Local Hero and Montrose-made You've Been Trumped, safe in the knowledge no one will be disturbed by their popcorn munching.
Alongside this is the chance to brave a Sunday morning dip in the sea at the Montrose Beach Dook and the LandxSea Eco Fair showcasing local eco-friendly initiatives, pop-up food and drinks, family-friendly craft activities and the chance to have your broken treasures fixed at the Repair Café.
For the first time, LandxSea is launching a major new award for a Scottish film screening at the festival, the North Light Award. The new accolade – which is accompanied by a £500 cash prize – will celebrate the best in Scottish environmental filmmaking, honouring innovative storytelling and fresh perspectives on pressing environmental issues. Finalists will be showcased, with the winner selected by a jury of film and environmental leaders including Lia Furxhi (festival director of CinemAmbiente Torino), Kate Munro (director of Angus Climate Hub), and Paul Sng (filmmaker of Tish, Poly Styrene: I Am A Cliché, Dispossession).
Cementing its reputation as a pivotal festival for vital and impactful conversations, this year’s LandxSea will host the Coastal Erosion Summit, addressing the urgent local climate issues threatening Montrose. This event includes a panel discussion with Angus and Perthshire Glens MP Dave Doogan and a panel of experts, and will present the premiere of Storm Angus Experiences, a crowd-sourced film documenting the community's response to recent devastating storms.
Expanding on the success of the inaugural 2023 festival, the 2024 edition sees an increase of nearly 40% in feature films. Themes presented at this year’s festival include: Coastal Erosion, a topic at the forefront of the local and national community; People & Animals, showcasing the unique relationship between humans and our wild counterparts; Land Ownership, a hot-button issue across Scotland and the globe; Women Leaders, honouring women mavericks fighting for the better of our planet; and Artists & the Environment, bridging art and science through innovative protagonists championing ecological awareness.
LandxSea Festival Co-Director Anthony Baxter said: “When we began the LandxSea Film Festival in Montrose last year, we knew we were starting something special. The extraordinary audience response exceeded all our expectations, as visiting filmmakers shared their incredible films here in Montrose. This year, we are building on that foundation with an even more ambitious programme packed with amazing films from around the world. We hope these films will spark many conversations about the future of our planet.”
LandxSea Co-Director Rachel Caplan said: “It is an honour to continue our tradition of bringing films at the forefront of today's global environmental issues to Montrose, a community dedicated to climate compassion. This year, we are thrilled to introduce the North Light Award, celebrating the best in Scottish environmental filmmaking.
"This award not only honours innovative storytelling but also shines a spotlight on the vital environmental issues that affect us all. We're proud to support filmmakers who are making a difference and look forward to sharing their powerful stories with the Montrose community.”
Tickets for all LandxSea events go on sale at midday on Wednesday 12 August on the LandxSea website.
More information
LandxSea is pleased to have exceptional support from Screen Scotland, part of Creative Scotland, delivering services and support with funding from the Scottish Government and The National Lottery; and Film Hub Scotland, part of the BFI’s Film Audience Network, awarding funds from Screen Scotland and National Lottery funding from the BFI.
Lead Sponsors include: Angus Climate Hub, MW Ethics, Montrose Rope and Sail, and Montrose Bag Company; and Supporting Sponsor the Sea Green Community Fund. Additional generous support is provided by the Montrose Playhouse.
Image credits
Header image: Still from Notes from Sheepland, courtesy of LandxSea
Image 2: Still from Billy and Molly: And Otter Love Story, courtesy of LandxSea
Image 3: Still from Finding Bo, courtesy of LandxSea