British filmmaker Mark Jenkin has returned with his latest feature, Rose of Nevada, a film notable for its unconventional production and storytelling approach. Following the distinct style of his previous works, including the 2019 drama Bait and 2022’s Enys Men, Jenkin shot Rose of Nevada using a vintage hand-cranked Bolex 16mm camera. This choice, rare in contemporary cinema, presents technical challenges—such as the need to add all sound during postproduction—and produces grainy, textured visuals that evoke a sense of antiquity, as if the footage were a recovered artifact from a distant past.

The film is set in a remote and economically struggling Cornish fishing village during a period roughly corresponding to the present day. It centers on two young men, Nick, portrayed by George MacKay, and Liam, played by Callum Turner, who is considered a potential future James Bond. Both characters face personal hardships: Nick is burdened by financial difficulties exacerbated by his deteriorating home, while Liam wrestles with homelessness and romantic uncertainty.

The narrative takes a supernatural turn with the sudden reappearance of the Rose of Nevada, a fishing vessel that had vanished at sea three decades earlier. The ship’s unexpected return triggers a series of events that highlight the characters’ desperation and displacement, blending historical mystery with contemporary struggles.

Jenkin’s choice to use a hand-cranked camera and to construct the film’s audio in postproduction contributes to the story’s atmospheric tension and thematic focus on time and dislocation. Rose of Nevada offers a unique cinematic experience that merges an unconventional visual style with a narrative exploring economic hardship, uncertainty, and the lingering effects of the past on the present.