Bogancloch

In this sequel to Two Years at Sea (2011), filmmaker Ben Rivers returns to hermit Jake Williams, who has been living a sober, self-sufficient life in the Scottish Highlands of Aberdeenshire for decades. From his secluded farm, we see how Jake is completely absorbed in the rhythm of the seasons and, apart from a few encounters, isolated from society. 

Rivers captures this in enchanting black-and-white images on hand-developed analogue film, which seems to make time disappear and the surroundings almost tangible. Without explanation or judgement, the film invites us to see everyday life in a different way: a raft built from rough materials, an improvised lesson about the solar system, a moment of silence in nature. The result is a unique portrait of a small life that is elevated to cosmic dimensions with an eye for detail. 

Bogancloch by director Ben Rivers has been screened at film festivals in Reykjavík, Tokyo and Vienna, among others. The documentary was shown at IDFA last year, but this year it can be seen at the Northern Film Festival in combination with Two Years at Sea (2011), the film to which it is a sequel.

Combination ticket

Want to see both Bogancloch and Two Years at Sea? You can with an affordable combination ticket. You can buy it here.