True North
Directed by:
Steve HudsonScreenplay:
Steve HudsonCinematography:
Peter RobertsonComposer:
Edmund ButtPlots(1)
The Providence, a heavily-indebted Scottish trawler, calls at a Belgian port on its return voyage. The ship's mate Sean, desperate to help reduce this debt, contacts black-marketers for cigarettes to smuggle but is only given the option of smuggling Chinese immigrants - all of whom have paid to get to Britain. Despite his misgivings, Sean agrees to take them, though in absolute secrecy from the Skipper - his father. The Chinese passengers are hidden in a cold, dark hold below deck while the Skipper is sleeping. All but one, that is. Su Li, a young girl of 12, slips away below decks unnoticed. Soon at sea, the weather conditions deteriorate rapidly. Crucial decisions must be made in a race against time to save the ship and themselves from certain imprisonment, but more importantly, to stop the tragic human suffering on the decks below. With floods of new immigrants using any means to save themselves from brutal regimes in their homeland, True North is both a timely and relevant reminder of man's humanity at stake, when helping less fortunate people in their desperate search for a new life. (Accent Film Entertainment)
(more)Reviews (1)
True North brings virtually nothing new and leaves an unpleasant air of expectation and element of disappointment. In fact, despite the strong theme and relative sympathy for the characters, it fails to bring the viewer any satisfaction that would make them begin to empathize more strongly. Fortunately, this is balanced out by Peter Mullan's superbly written and acted character, who redeems what he can. However, it's been a long time since I've seen an ending this "shocking" ultimately fizzle out. The last shot of the ship, in its simple and effective mise-en-scene, clumsily reveals how few aspects there are to this hour and a half long story. And I confess that I was irritated by the way they suppressed all sound at the end so that the characters could speak in a depressingly low voice.
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