At last the much vaunted film – Vanishing Sail – of the traditional carriacou sloops and their boatbuilders like Alwyn Enoe and sons (above), is coming to the UK.
September 14th should see the harbour of Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, come alive with a parade of sail to announce the film’s UK Premiere, at the Rural Nations’ Hebrides International Film Festival with further screenings on Uist, Barra, Harris, and the village of Ness.
The award winning feature documentary by Alexis Andrews is the story of a wooden boatbuilder struggling to keep his tradition alive on a small Caribbean island. The film follows Alywn’s journey of resilience and determination over three years, from hauling trees out of the forest, to a traditional launching ceremony on a beach in Carriacou, The Land of Reefs. Stories of the old West Indies – trading by sail and smuggling contraband, interweave a tribute to the independent spirit of a small island community.
Vanishing Sail is part of an ongoing transmedia project that includes a two volume photography essay, a unique archive of interviews with some of the last great seafarers of the Caribbean; the building of five traditional sailing vessels in Carriacou; and an annual regatta on the island of St. Barthelemy sponsored by UNESCO.
Andrews said: “We are very excited to premiere our film for the very first time in the UK on Scottish soil as many of the first boatbuilders on the island where Vanishing Sail was filmed, came from Scotland. The Hebrides International Film Festival’s commitment to bringing meaningful international stories to their remote islands resonates deeply with our outreach programme for the film: to engage with sailors, boat builders, coastal communities and maritime heritage around the world.
Thank you to our supporters Rural Nations & Mast Partners for this unique opportunity.”
Vanishing Sail is currently only screening at film festivals and special events – with a wider release including BLU RAY, DVD & streaming in 2017.
Trailer: on Vimeo here
Launching Free of St Barths last year
