Dir. Dylan Howitt, UK, 2023, 68 mins.
Textile artist Allan Brown spends seven years making a dress by hand just from the fibre of locally foraged stinging nettles. This is ‘hedgerow couture’, the greenest of slow fashion but also his medicine. It’s how Allan survives the passing of his wife, leaving him and their four children bereft, and how he finds a beautiful way to honour her. The film follows Allan’s journey through seasons and years, foraging, spinning, weaving, cutting and sewing the cloth, before finally sharing a healing vision of the dress back in the woods where the nettles were picked, worn by one of his daughters.
A labour of love in the truest sense, The Nettle Dress is a hymn to the healing power of nature and slow craft.
Actor Mark Rylance called the film “Exquisite and inspiring, beautiful and helpful for anyone suffering loss or grief”.
To accompany the film, we are hosting a craft workshop with Vicky Putler of The Flax Project CIC on Saturday 28 October at 11:30am. Click here for more information and tickets.
For detailed information about the film’s age rating and content notices, you can visit the BBFC website and search the film title, then scroll down to the “Content Advice” section: www.bbfc.co.uk
The Nettle Dress (12A)
Saturday, October 28
- Time 2:30pm
- Place Plymouth Arts Cinema
- https://plymouthartscinema.org/
Upcoming events
Tuesday, December 5
Theatre Royal Plymouth presents the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre and Pins and Needles production of Raymond Briggs’ Father Christmas. Adapted by Pins and Needles.
Tuesday, December 5
New documentary System Update is a call to action to face the stark reality of climate change, and find a path towards hope.
Wednesday, December 6
“It Shouldn’t Be Like This.”
A new play written by Jenny and Paul Shryane about homelessness in Plymouth.
Wednesday, December 6
Theatre Royal Plymouth presents the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre and Pins and Needles production of Raymond Briggs’ Father Christmas. Adapted by Pins and Needles.