Private Project

Goths' Own Country

Every year the North Yorkshire town of Whitby floods with goths. Tens of thousands from the subculture descend on the seaside community to listen to music, convene in pubs and – so rare for many of them – be a goth among goths. Given unique access to tell a story deeper than the usual puff pieces, shock docs or sensationalist photo journalism, Goths' Own Country presents a snapshot of a vital date in the goth calendar, delving into what Whitby means to the scene.

  • Ferdie Simon
    Director
  • Katie Alcock
    Producer
  • Jamie Curtis Hayward
    Director of Photography
  • Chris Hyde
    Editor
  • Fraser Anderson
    Sound Recordist
  • Jon Norton
    Artwork
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short, Student
  • Runtime:
    13 minutes 52 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    September 3, 2019
  • Production Budget:
    500 GBP
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    United Kingdom
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes
Director Biography - Ferdie Simon

Ferdie has directed two films: Siren, a horror short, in 2016; and Goths' Own Country, a short doc about the goth community's yearly pilgrimages to Whitby, released in 2019 (and made while an MA student). He now lives in London but has a special fascination for North Yorkshire and the North East of England. In his day job he is a writer and brand consultant. At night he dreams of films.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Goths' Own Country has been a labour of love since mid-2018. From the beginning we wanted to shed light on an underrepresented, misunderstood scene that is so often subject to ridicule or worse. Working with several collaborators, we attempted tease out what it means for many attendees to be a goth among goths. It has been a joy to work with so many talented people, so generous with their time and spirit.