PRESS PACK

PRESS PACK - THE BOUGH BREAKS 

(67 min documentary feature)

Exploring the work of visionary conservationist, Alan Watson Featherstone, his restoration of Scotland's ancient Caledonian forest, and ‘Rewilding’ as a successful model, in the fight to save our broken planet.

Tag line Rewilding for Life

Log line Now we’ve got to learn to do something that has never been attempted before. We have to learn to give back more than we take. Alan Watson Featherstone

Simultaneously hard-hitting and inspiring, The Bough Breaks is a must-see film that combines stunning cinematography with devastating home truths about the state of Scotland’s environment.

James Nairne - Trustee- Scottish Wild Beaver Group

 A beautifully crafted, well-balanced, and thorough film…inspiring, uplifting and the messaging is spot on.

Jason Peters - Wildlife-film.com

Through its beautiful footage, immersive soundscape, and heartfelt interviews, the film gives you a powerful sense of place…Stunning and important work.

Lisa Marley – Filmmaker - Red Sky on the Black Isle & Project Wolf

What a superb film…The soundtrack is sublime but it’s the wonderful photography and production that brings such powerful presence to an incredibly potent message. It is a film for Alan, for all the people who heard him and believed in his message.

S.J. Haxton - Author The Pendennis Trilogy

Incredibly moving and powerful and the wildlife cinematography is absolutely stunning... Its voice so needs to be heard...

Lynne Chitty – Animal Activist - Director Legacy of Love

An astonishing film, deeply moving. Authentic and beautifully made.

Carol Scorer – TRACS - Traditional Arts & Culture Scotland

About Alan

Alan Watson Featherstone's legacy is hard to measure. He is certainly one of the major pioneers of Rewilding. His visionary approach to restoring habitats, has become a blueprint for many of the major conservation projects underway today, in the UK and beyond. His extraordinary commitment is coupled with a disarming humility and spirituality; captured in the reflective and meditative atmosphere of this moving film. Forty years ago, he realised that his generation were probably the last that could save Scotland's ancient Caledonian forest. He soon decided that despite no previous experience in conservation and no personal resources, he was the man who would have to make that happen.

The Bough Breaks – Outline

The Bough Breaks has at its heart, the work of visionary conservationist and ecologist, Alan Watson Featherstone and his charity Trees For Life, but it also explores the wider Rewilding movement; how its model of large-scale forest restoration, can mitigate some of the global conservation and climate crises, currently threatening life on Earth. Alan's personal journey also illustrates the urgency for more individual responsibility in the stewardship of our planet and the enormous legacy one man can gift to the future, by staying true to his personal vision. Contributors include:- George Monbiot (Orwell prize-winning journalist, activist and author of Feral and Regenesis) Roy Dennis OBE (pre-eminent conservationist and author of Restoring the Wild) Dr Duncan Halley (Norwegian Institute for Nature Research) Shaila Rao (Mar Lodge Ecologist from BBC Springwatch/Winterwatch) Dr David Hetherington (Ecologist and author of the Lynx and Us) Dr Louise Ross (University of Aberdeen's School of Biological Sciences/SRUC) Paul, Sophie & Louise Ramsay (Bamff Wildland) Lynn Bowser (Argaty Red Kites) Molly Doubleday (RSPB Capercaillie Advisory Officer). They each explain how Alan’s approach has inspired them and why it is so important we follow his lead. The beautiful original score is by pianist and composer Alan Fowler, accompanied by New York based soloist Zosha Warpeha on Hardanger d'Amore. The film is Co-Directed and Produced by Caroline Strong and Danny Strong, with Gabriel Strong as Assistant Producer

Screenings and Festivals

The film premiered at the Holbeck Cinema as part of the LUMA Festival (University of York) in June ‘23, with further screenings throughout Scotland and the UK, summer/autumn ‘23, culminating in two major events. The first was a screening at the Kings Conference Centre, University of Aberdeen as part of the NESEN Symposium (North East Scotland Ecology Network) plus a full panel discussion with featured contributors. The second was a screening at the new Rewilding Centre at Dundreggan, to celebrate 30 years of the charity Trees for Life. It has also screened for NatureScot and Scottish Rural College, as well as Eden Court, Cromarty and An Lanntair Cinemas. New screenings began again in March ‘24 for The National Trust for Scotland, Findhorn Hinterland Trust, Argaty Red Kites, then a return to SRUC, as part of Climate Week North East ‘24 and for University of Aberdeen’s School of Biological Sciences at Cromarty Cinema. Further dates in the Autumn followed at Cody Dock in London, St Cyrus, Muir of Dinnet and Forvie NNRs for NatureScot and for Aquila Wildlife & Nature CIC.  January 2025 will start with a screening for Aberdeen Climate Action at NESCol and it is booked by INDY Cinema Group at The Barn Multi Arts Centre in February.

It was Nominated for The North Light Award and Audience Award at Montrose LandXsea Film Festival Sept ’24, (Scotland’s Premier Environmental Film Festival) and it was Nominated for both Best Documentary and the SDG Films - Goal 15 - Life on Land Award at the Arctic Film Festival, (Svalbard) in April ’24. It was Winner Best Environmental Film (Caroline & Danny) and Winner Best Editing (Danny) at the Cinematography and Photography Awards (London ‘23). It was also a Runner-Up Finalist Best Scottish Production at the Close:Up Edinburgh Docufest and Nominee for Best Documentary in the Next Generation Indie Film Awards (Hollywood USA). It made Official Selection at Ecocine International Environmental & Human Rights Film Festival  (Brazil), Best Documentary Category, where it was streamed from 3/11 - 3/12 ‘23 on TAO Play. Like the Arctic Film Festival, Ecocine is committed to the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. The film also won an Honourable Mention in Directing for Caroline and Danny and made Finalist in the Best Documentary category at AIMAFF (Athens ‘23) and was a Finalist at Denver Monthly Film Awards for Best Documentary (July ‘23) and Official Selection in the Environmental category for Lane Doc Fest (Jackson, Tennessee USA) in October 24.

When Danny met Alan

Danny Strong first met Alan Watson Featherstone as a volunteer at Trees for Life in 2014 (when Danny was 18). That encounter was a watershed moment for Danny. He came back from that first visit really inspired and his enthusiasm was infectious. The genesis of a film about Alan and rewilding began there, and soon the small family production company, Mousehole Films set out on their own rewilding journey.

About Mousehole Films

Like Alan, the team at Mousehole know a thing or two about working against the odds. It has been quite a challenge for their small team to bring the story of this inspiring and humble man to the screen; it has been an enormous privilege as well. Until very recently they were entirely self-funded, but have recently gained support from Scottish Wild Beaver Group and Wildlife-film.com. They are a PACT micro indie, based in Aberdeenshire specialising in Natural History content, and uniquely, a family team: Caroline Strong (BBC, ITV, Channel 4, BBC R3/4 & The World Service), Danny Strong (BWPA, Highly Commended Filmmaker), and Dr Gabriel Strong (BBC Forces of Nature/ Veritasium) and they bring together a unique combination of disciplines in: Ecology, Conservation & Environment, Theoretical Physics & STEM, Creative Media & The Arts. That creative mix is enhanced by the shared understanding and deep concern for the planet, always at the heart of their work. They also have an easy shorthand with each other and the freedom to work crazy hours (which they often do!).