The Unofficial Countryside

The Unofficial Countryside is an observational portrait of the ‘edgeland’ landscapes that exists between the urban and the rural. The film documents the intrinsic characteristics of these places, where nature thrives on the fringes of the city. Filmed in a patchwork of urban woodland, ramshackle smallholdings, abandoned industrial sites, utility substations, scrapyards, open fields and informal riverside beaches, the documentary includes a voiceover drawn from Marion Shoard’s essay ‘Edgelands of Promise’, and captures the rich biodiversity of both native and introduced species, in a landscape shaped by the activities and imprints of people passing through.

  • Nick Jordan
    Director
  • Jacob Cartwright
    Director
  • Nick Jordan
    Producer
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Runtime:
    17 minutes 17 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    November 20, 2021
  • Production Budget:
    2,000 GBP
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    United Kingdom
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    HDV
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Sheffield Doc/Fest
    Sheffield
    United Kingdom
    June 24, 2022
    World Premiere
Director Biography - Nick Jordan, Jacob Cartwright

Jacob Cartwright and Nick Jordan's collaborative practice is cross-disciplinary, encompassing film, drawing, painting, photography, objects, publications and events. The artists’ documentary films present oblique, layered narratives that explore social, cultural and natural histories.

Cartwright and Jordan's award-winning films have been screened and exhibited internationally, including Innsbruck International Biennale (Austria); BFI London Film Festival (UK); Whitstable Biennale (UK); Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival (France); Sheffield Doc/Fest (UK); São Paulo International Short Film Festival (Brazil); Kassel Dokfest (Germany); Kurtzfilmtage Winterthur (Switzerland); Documenta Madrid (Spain). They are based in Manchester, UK

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