Shields

In development

Director | Cinematographer

Selected for the development programme Itineranze DOC 2023

In North Shields, north-east of England, a fierce community of fishermen try to navigate an uncertain future with grit and humour. Locals and migrant workers cross paths at the harbour, giving rise to encounters and clashes.

North Shields, a small fishing port in North East England, has seen better days. Despite harsh conditions, the community of fishermen clings to their way of life.

Cory lives and works on a run-down trawler. He tried other jobs on land, yet the camaraderie of life at sea drew him back. Work is hard and money is scarce, but Cory's sense of humour doesn’t wane.

Mark has been a fisherman all his life, but new regulations might force him to quit. The risk of having to sell his hard-earned boat is increasing day by day.

In the last few years, more and more migrant workers came to North Shields to work on the trawlers. Puryanto recently arrived from Indonesia with high expectations and is trying to fit in with the locals, but life in England is tougher than he thought.

On the quay, where the old retired fishermen sit drinking rum and laughing about their past misadventures, all these lives cross paths, grappling with the uncertainty of what lies ahead.