CANCELLED – When a southwest gale blows for three days, artefacts and natural objects from across the world arrive on these shores. The north coast of Cornwall is one of the best collection points in the world for long-haul drift.
The celebrated playwright Nick Darke was raised on a beach in Cornwall. His father, grandfather and great grandfather had all gone to work on ships in the merchant navy so he grew up with an understanding of the sea and wind and how they worked together. Despite this he was still amazed and delighted when he discovered strange messages and wild debris from the Americas washed up on the Cornish coast.
First broadcast in 2005, The Wrecking Season follows Nick onto the beach during a stormy winter, recording his discoveries and tracing them back to their sources – a process through which he gradually built up a unique picture of coastal communities around the Atlantic, making friends with fishermen, scientists, oceanographers and fellow beachcombers along the way.
The film will be introduced by Jane Darke, who filmed and directed this evocative documentary portrait of her husband, who sadly died shortly after its release on BBC4. Jane was awarded the First Time Director Award at the Celtic Film and Television Festival for her work on The Wrecking Season.