Bait (2019 film)
| Bait | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Mark Jenkin |
| Written by | Mark Jenkin |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Mark Jenkin |
| Edited by | Mark Jenkin |
| Music by | Mark Jenkin |
Production company | Early Day Films |
| Distributed by | BFI Films |
Release date |
|
Running time | 89 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Bait is a 2019 British drama film written and directed by Mark Jenkin. Starring Edward Rowe as a struggling fisherman, the film deals with the tensions that arise between locals and tourists in a Cornish fishing village against a backdrop of second homes, short-term lets, and gentrification.
Plot
Martin Ward is a fisherman in a picturesque Cornish village. He struggles to make ends meet fishing without a boat, while his brother Steven uses their late father's vessel to offer cruise trips to visiting tourists.
Meanwhile, tensions arise between Martin and the out-of-town Leigh family, who use the harbour-front 'Skipper's Cottage' they bought from Martin and Steven as a seasonal holiday home and short-term rental business.
Cast
- Edward Rowe as Martin Ward
- Mary Woodvine as Sandra Leigh
- Simon Shepherd as Tim Leigh
- Georgia Ellery as Katie Leigh
- Giles King as Steven Ward
- Chloe Endean as Wenna Kowalski
- Isaac Woodvine as Neil Ward
Production
Jenkin filmed Bait using a vintage hand-cranked Bolex camera, using 16mm monochrome film that he hand processed.[1] Shooting locations include Charlestown and West Penwith, in Cornwall.[2]
Reception
Critical reception
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 100% based on 39 reviews, with an average score of 8.5/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "As visually distinctive as it is narratively satisfying, Bait blends a classic aesthetic with timely themes to produce a thrillingly original and uniquely enriching drama."[3] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 84 out of 100, based on 8 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[4]
Writing in The Observer, Mark Kermode gave a glowing review, describing the film as 'a genuine modern masterpiece, which establishes Jenkin as one of the most arresting and intriguing British film-makers of his generation.'[5] He later named Bait his favourite film of both the year and the decade.[6] Peter Bradshaw in The Guardian called the film 'intriguing and unexpectedly watchable', in a four-star review that remarked on the experimental nature of the film.[7]
Accolades
| Year | Festival or Institution | Category | Nominees | Result | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | British Independent Film Awards | Best Director | Mark Jenkin | Nominated | [8] |
| Best British Independent Film | Mark Jenkin, Kate Byers, Linn Waite | Nominated | |||
| Breakthrough Producer | Kate Byers, Linn Waite | Won | |||
| Best Editing | Mark Jenkin | Nominated | |||
| Edinburgh International Film Festival | Michael Powell Award for Best British Feature Film | Mark Jenkin | Nominated | [9] | |
| Galway Film Fleadh | Best International Film | Mark Jenkin | Nominated | [10] | |
| IndieLisboa International Independent Film Festival | Audience Award for Best Feature Film | Mark Jenkin | Won | [11] | |
| International Competition - Grand Prize City of Lisbon | Mark Jenkin | Nominated | |||
| Istanbul International Film Festival | Golden Tulip Award | Mark Jenkin | Nominated | [12] | |
| Montreal Festival of New Cinema | Prix de l'expérimentation | Mark Jenkin | Nominated | [10] | |
| Stockholm International Film Festival | Best Director | Mark Jenkin | Won | [13] | |
| Best Film | Mark Jenkin | Nominated | |||
| New Horizons Film Festival | Audience Award for Best Film | Mark Jenkin | Won | [14] | |
| Grand Prix | Mark Jenkin | Won | |||
| British Academy Film Awards | Outstanding British Film | Mark Jenkin, Kate Byers, and Linn Waite | Nominated | [15] | |
| Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer | Mark Jenkin (Writer/Director); Kate Byers, Linn Waite (Producers) | Won | |||
| 2020 | Crested Butte Film Festival | Best Narrative Feature | Mark Jenkin | Won | [16] |
References
- ^ Mantgani, Ian (30 August 2019). "Bait first look: Mark Jenkin heralds the new weird Britain". British Film Institute. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
- ^ "BAIT Film by Lecturer Mark Jenkin Gains International Acclaim". News. Falmouth University. 7 February 2019. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
- ^ "Bait (2019)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
- ^ "Bait". Metacritic. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
- ^ Kermode, Mark (1 September 2019). "Bait review – one of the defining British films of the decade". Guardian. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
- ^ Kermode, Mark (29 December 2019). "Mark Kermode's best films of 2019". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
- ^ Bradshaw, Peter (29 August 2019). "Bait review – fishing-town drama reels you into its weird world". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
- ^ "Nominations · BIFA · British Independent Film Awards". BIFA · British Independent Film Awards. 21 October 2019. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
- ^ "EIFF 2019 Official Awards | Edinburgh International Film Festival". www.edfilmfest.org.uk. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
- ^ a b Bait - IMDb, retrieved 29 November 2019
- ^ "Mark Jenkin's Bait wins the Audience Award for best feature film". IndieLisboa. 13 May 2019. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
- ^ madebycat.com. "Bait". İKSV. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
- ^ "This year's festival winners". Stockholms filmfestival. 15 November 2019. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
- ^ Grynienko, Katarzyna (1 January 1970). "FNE at New Horizons IFF 2019: Bait Wins Grand Prize at 19th New Horizons IFF". FilmNewEurope.com. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
- ^ Ritman, Alex (6 January 2020). "'Joker' Leads BAFTA 2020 Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
- ^ "2020 Award Winning Films". cbfilmfest.org. Crested Butte Film Festival. Archived from the original on 12 October 2019. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
