Director
Isla Badenoch
Producer
Joe Binks
Production support
In this atmospheric short documentary, Dave drives from his job at a Christmas card printing factory to the moonlit banks of the River Severn to hunt for an elusive fish, the rare elver (baby-eel), supposedly worth more than their weight in gold. Over the course of a night we experience the mysterious world of the Elvermen: the addictive gamble and stake-out amongst fathers, sons, brothers and friends. Phone calls of frustration and joy echo down a river lit by head torches. Through the eyes of the fishermen THE ELVERMEN shows how a rite of passage has changed into a fight for values: of tradition, community, and a connection to nature in an environment of impending change.