Over a hundred years of films about the British Coast get a digital interactive makeover by Sheffield Doc/Fest and Crossover Labs

Commissioned by The Space, the new on-demand digital arts service developed by the Arts Council in partnership with the BBC and produced by Sheffield Doc/Fest and Crossover, From the Sea to the Land Beyond, is a cross-platform interactive documentary to be delivered across cinema and online. With unparalleled access to over 100 years of BFI Archive footage the project will deliver a one hour poetic meditation on the British coastline, which celebrates Great Britain’s identity as an island and the evocative, often nostalgic, place the coast has in many people’s hearts.

The film of From the Sea to the Land Beyond is directed by award winning film-maker Penny Woolcock and will premiere at Sheffield Doc/Fest on 13 June in the Crucible Theatre, with a live musical score composed and performed by British Sea Power. Says Penny Woolcock, “To be offered the chance to direct such a lyrical cinematic piece is an absolute dream request, I leapt at the chance to do it.”

Online at The Space, people will find the interactive elements of From the Sea to the Land Beyond.  A mash-up tool will enable visitors to edit from 100′s of coastal clips in the BFI National Archive (and tracks from British Sea Power) to create a personalised video postcard from the piece of theUK coastline that is most dear to their heart.

From Brighton to Blackpool from Scarborough to the Scottish Isles these thousands of individual video postcards will grow into a unique library of impressions of the UK coastline for others to view and contribute to. The Space is available free of charge via the internet, smartphones, tablets and smart TV, and will stay available until 31 October.

From Heather Croall, Sheffield Doc/Fest director, “This is the first time Sheffield Doc/Fest has produced a project especially for the festival, and we are thrilled that such amazing people have come on board the project with us. Penny Woolcock directing and British Sea Power composing along with Illumina on the mash up and BFI supplying their archive… it is an incredible team to be working with”.

Continues, Mark Atkin, director Crossover, “Crossover has been committed to stimulating the multiplatform production sector for many years, and we are delighted to be producing this truly cross disciplinary project.”

Jane Giles, BFI Head of Distribution said, “This film will be a breath of fresh air and we’re delighted to be working with such estimable partners as Penny Woolcock, Sheffield Doc/Fest and British Sea Power to get this treasured footage from the BFI National Archive out to a wider audience in a creative new way.”

The BFI is handling world rights including theatrical, non-theatrical and DVD in theUKwith a proposed release date of 2013.

The premiere of From the Sea to the Land Beyond will be at The Crucible Theatre June 13th at 6pm. Tickets will go on sale 14^th May £11/£9 concessions available from Crucible box-office: 0114 249 6000