“One of the defining British films of the decade”
Mark Kermode.
Guardian ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Winner - BAFTA - Outstanding Debut by a Director and Producers
BAFTA - nomination Outstanding British Film
Winner - Best British Film - Screen Awards 2019
Winner - BIFA Breakthrough Producers - 4 nominations including Best British Film 2019
Winner - Phillip French Breakthrough Filmmaker Award - London Critics’ Circle Film Awards
the story
Martin Ward is a cove fisherman, without a boat. His brother Steven has re-purposed their father’s vessel as a tourist tripper, driving a wedge between the brothers. With their childhood home now a get-away for London money, Martin is displaced to the estate above the picturesque harbour. As his struggle to restore the family to their traditional place creates increasing friction with tourists and locals alike, a tragedy at the heart of the family changes his world.
making bait
“We had two Bolex H16s on the shoot. The second camera (which we used for the slow motion sequences running at 54fps) was given to me by retired DP Peter Smithson who had used it to shoot sequences for David Attenborough documentaries during the 80s and 90s. This 'B' camera dates from the 60s, whilst the 'A' camera was built in 1976, the year I was born.
Photo @thomaxon
I love how incredibly simple the Bolex is: I think I fully understand everything it can do and how it does it. It’s incredibly robust, and beautifully engineered; it makes a lovely sound. It’s very easy to load, and it takes beautiful lenses which create wonderful images. And it looks stunning. I would quite happily hang it on my wall like a painting. It’s a work of art.”
Mark Jenkin
Photo EarlyDayFilms
BAIT premiered at Berlinale 2019, going on to screen at New Film New Directors in NYC, Sydney IFF, Edinburgh IFF, Istanbul IFF, and Festival de Sevilla, winning the Grand Prix at New Horizons IFF 2019 and the Audience Award at Indie Lisboa 2019.
The film was nominated for BAFTA Outstanding British Film and Outstanding Debut for a writer, director, and/or producer at the 2020 BAFTA’s, winning Outstanding Debut for Kate, Linn, and Mark.
Kate and Linn also received the 2019 Breakthrough Producer award at BIFA for their unique work on BAIT; the film itself receiving four nominations including Best British Film.
BAIT was distributed by BFI Distribution in the UK, and internationally initially with The Festival Agency and now with Protagonist.
89 mins.