At long last, Mark Jenkin‘s buzzy sophomore feature “Enys Men” gets a US theatrical release later this month. The movie made waves with its British folk horror trappings and 16mm visuals at the Cannes Film Festival last year. Now, to build off that buzz, NEON readies Jenkin’s debut feature “Bait” for a theatrical release, too.
Like “Enys Men,” “Bait” shares a specific maritime sensibility, and uses its black-and-white 16mm camera to track a troubled fisherman’s reckoning with his family’s history and his home harbor gradually becoming a tourist trap.
Here’s an official synopsis for “Bait,” courtesy of NEON:
Martin Ward is a cove fisherman, without a boat. His brother Steven has re-purposed their father’s vessel as a tourist tripper, driving a wedge between the brothers. With their childhood home now a get-away for London money, Martin is displaced to the estate above the picturesque harbor. As his struggle to restore the family to their traditional place creates increasing friction with tourists and locals alike, a tragedy at the heart of the family changes his world.
“Bait” stars Edward Rowe, Mary Woodvine (the lead in “Enys Men”), Simon Shepherd, Georgia Ellery, Giles King, Chloe Endean, and Isaac Woodvine. Jenkins pens the film alongside directing. Kate Byers, Linn Waite, and Denzil Monk produce the film.
“Bait” hits select theaters on March 31, with exclusive Q&As with Jenkin at some screenings. Watch trailers for both “Bait” and “Enys Men” below.
