As coastal erosion in the UK accelerates, eating away at the land on the North Norfolk coast, a family are forced to come to terms with moving away before their home crumbles into the sea.

ABOUT THE FILM

For Nicola and her daughters, Darcy and Violet, rising sea levels and environmental change are an immediate threat. Their home is predicted to vanish over the eroding cliffs within the next 25 years. Just 50 meters along the lane past Nicola’s red brick terraced cottage, the tarmac surface falls away suddenly. A road that once led to a cluster of holiday homes, now leads to a sheer drop to the waves below. They have looked on as neighbours' homes have been demolished, watching as the physical space and social fabric of the community is transformed as a result.

As the cliff crumbles into the sea, Nicola is faced with the harsh reality that her time living in this place is limited.

But her connection to the space is more than just physical. As the film progresses, Nicola reveals intimate personal reflections, fondly recounting memories gathered throughout the years, and meditating on the themes of love and loss.

THE ISSUE

Climate change is often described as an existential risk, one of the greatest threats facing humanity right now. According to the 2020 Ecological Threat Register, the decades since 1960 have seen the frequency of natural disasters increasing tenfold , with natural disasters displacing approximately 25 million people in 2019 - almost triple the 8.6 million that were displaced as a result of armed conflict.

The North Norfolk coast has been susceptible to coastal erosion for hundreds of years however it has been predicted that the rate at which this is taking place will be accelerate as a result of rising sea levels, increased storms and flooding, and climate change. In the past 10 years alone, two major flooding events (in 2013, and again in 2018) led to the destruction of countless homes and livelihoods. 

Locals report that an event of such magnitude is normally said to take place once in a person’s lifetime – and yet these communities experienced two within the space of four years. According to the EA, some 5,000 homes are likely to be lost to the sea in the next 20 years without further intervention. Many of those living in such close proximity to the coast are now finding it impossible to get their homes insured. There is an overwhelming feeling of abandonment that permeates throughout these communities, a sense that little support has been provided by governing bodies for those that are forced to abandon their homes to the unyielding tides.

DIRECTOR STATEMENT

I had become increasingly frustrated by how environmental issues were being presented in the media and wanted to create a film that shone a light on the emotional experiences of those experiencing such changes firsthand. It felt important for me not to focus on facts and figures, nor sensationalize these experiences, but to create a film that was very human.