LAND AND SEA Shorts Block
20 mins | 2023
Jessica Bishopp
Puffling
On a remote Icelandic island, teenagers Birta and Selma trade late night parties for nocturnal puffin rescues in this coming-of-age story for young adults and puffins alike. Puffling demonstrates the direct interplay between nature, the environment, and human life.
Sponsored by:
Friday Harbor Film Festival
Filmmaker Q&A:
(following each in-theatre screening)
With attending filmmaker Anne MacDonald (Cinematographer)
About
Every summer 18-year-old Birta and 16-year-old Selma rescue pufflings (young puffins) at night on a remote island off the coast of Iceland. The pufflings leave their nests for the first time, following the light of the moon to make their journey out to sea and transition into adulthood. Unfortunately, the pufflings get lost in town, mistaking the harbour lights for the moon.
Over one night Birta and Selma take it upon themselves to counteract the human impact on nature, exchanging night-time parties for puffin patrol, in a coming-of-age story of young adults and pufflings alike. A documentary about growing up and making choices, worrying about the future, and dealing with encroaching environmental pressures. Puffling demonstrates the direct interplay between nature, the environment, and human life, exploring the importance of younger generations taking action on global environmental issues.
FILMMAKER BIO
Jessica Bishopp
Jessica Bishopp is an award-winning documentary filmmaker fascinated by subcultures and myths, as well as exploring universal themes embedded in our daily lives and thoughts. Her work has been screened internationally at film festivals such as Sheffield Doc/Fest, Aspen Shortsfest, AFI DOCS, New Orleans Film Festival, and London Short Film Festival. Her short documentary films have been nominated twice for the Best Director Award at Underwire Film Festival, and her artist film Lifespanwas broadcast on Channel 4. Her documentary films have been featured on The Atlantic, WeTransfer, NOWNESS, The Guardian Documentaries, and Aeon, receiving several Vimeo Staff Pick awards. She was selected from over 3,000 applications to represent the UK as a director at Berlinale Talents 2020. Recently her documentary, Skyward, premiered at the BFI London Film Festival 2022, and her new film, Puffling, has been supported by the Rooftop Films Fund, IF/Then, and Field of Vision.
CREDITS
Director
Jessica Bishopp
Skyward (2022), PAMPAS (2020), Wargames (2018), Lifespan (2017)
Producer
Alice Hughes
Until the Tide Creeps In (2022), The Uncertain Kingdom (2020), Half Way (2019)
Producer
Gannesh Rajah
If the Streets were on Fire (2022), 512 Hours with Marina Abramović (2021)
Co-Producer
Ada Benjamínsdóttir
Cinematographer
Anna MacDonald
One Night (2022), Why Me (2022), Skyward (2022), The Elvermen (2021), Good Thanks, You? (2020)
Editor
Xanna Ward Dixon
Kanaval: A People's History of Haiti in Six Chapters (2022), If The Streets Were on Fire (2022), Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché (2021)
Original Music
Jófríður Ákadóttir
Executive Producer
Caitlin Mae Burke
Realm of Satan (2024), Between Earth & Sky (2024), Plastic Bag Store: The Film (2021)
Executive Producer
Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee