British filmmaker Mark Jenkin’s latest feature, *Rose of Nevada*, offers a visually striking and enigmatic narrative set in a struggling Cornish fishing village. Released this year, the film merges elements of mystery, time travel, and social commentary, capturing the stark contrast between past and present rural life in England.
The story begins with the unexpected reappearance of the *Rose of Nevada*, a trawler that vanished three decades earlier during a storm, taking its entire crew with it. The vessel docks in the village harbor, stirring a mixture of superstition and financial hope among the locals. A businessman, played by Edward Rowe, quickly recognises the boat and involves the widow of one of the lost crew members, portrayed by Rosalind Eleazar.
A decision is made to send the ghost ship out once again to sea, attracting a new crew that includes Nick (George MacKay), a young father in economic distress reliant on a food bank, and Liam (Callum Turner), a reserved drifter with a fondness for alcohol. They are joined by a seasoned captain, played by Francis Magee. Their fishing trip proves fruitful, but when they return after three days, the village and its people have seemingly reverted to 1993.
The villagers greet the returning crew as the original fishermen, and the story explores the differences between the thriving community of the early 1990s and the present-day impoverished reality. The pubs are full, fishing is prosperous, and interpersonal connections are strong, in stark contrast to the current era’s solitude and hardship. This juxtaposition underscores a central theme of Jenkin’s work—the erosion of communal support and collective responsibility in modern society.
Jenkin developed the concept during the COVID-19 pandemic, drawing inspiration from the solidarity shown within his own community. His film functions as a quiet elegy for the individualism that, he suggests, has fragmented social bonds. The present-day Nick’s isolation, illustrated by his inability to fix a leaking roof without assistance, is contrasted with the cooperative spirit exhibited when the villagers come together to repair fishing nets in the past.
The film’s distinctive aesthetic is a hallmark of Jenkin’s singular artistic vision. Serving not only as director but also as writer, cinematographer, editor, composer, and sound designer, he shot the film entirely on a wind-up 16mm Bolex camera. This analog technique required frequent rewinding during filming and involved hand-processing the film stock, resulting in vivid, textured imagery that evokes both nostalgia and authenticity.
From the weathered hands clutching roll-up cigarettes to the salt-stained faces shaped by decades by the sea, the visuals convey a palpable sense of place and history. The film’s atmosphere, combined with its ghostly, out-of-time narrative, renders *Rose of Nevada* a unique exploration of memory, community, and loss.