A brilliant campaigning film from Teesside

ANDY HEDGECOCK highly recommends an outstanding documentary about a community at risk of destruction from capitalist eco-cide

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JEANIE FINLAY’s cleverly titled documentary shows a community at risk of destruction.

The fishing industry of north-east England depends on catches of crab and lobster. In Autumn 2021, thousands of dying crustaceans and starfish wash ashore between the Tees estuary and Scarborough. Lives are tipped into turmoil: catches fall by 80 per cent, diesel costs exceed earnings and crews face bankruptcy.

Scientists commissioned by the fishermen insist “die-offs” are due to contamination by the toxic chemical pyridine. This, they suggest, is caused by dredging in the Tees estuary — work conducted for the Teesside Freeport. 

The science behind this theory is made comprehensible in interviews with researchers from several disciplines. 

Meanwhile, government agencies attribute the problem to algal bloom rather than industrial pollution — a finding welcomed by environment secretary Therese Coffey and Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen. 

Thematically, the film is a tangle of desperate workers, ecological destruction, seismic economic shifts and — most importantly — fervent opposition to values of corporations and politicians. It works because it’s beautifully structured.

Attention switches between the grand narratives of power and ecology to close-focus character studies. Raised in Teesside, Finlay has an obvious relish for the place and its people. 

Dejection provoked by the arrogance of politicians and their destructive obsession with commercial expansion is challenged by the life-affirming resilience of the fishermen, their supporters and scientists sympathetic to their cause. 

Of several charismatic characters, two make a profound impression. Amiable and energetic marine biologist Dr Sue Wilson tracks the tragic impact of the die-off on the coast’s seals. An octogenarian, she vehemently rejects the idea of retiring while there’s an argument to be won. 

The irrepressible fisherman Stan Rennie is the pulse of the film. His importance to the community is apparent in his sceptical response to Houchen and the government; his compassion for younger skippers in despair and dire financial straits; and his role in chairing the North East Fishing Collective.

In an early scene, as his boat enters the harbour and family members wave from the windows of their homes, Stan declares he had the perfect job until autumn 2021. 

The story is enhanced by a sympathetic musical score and striking cinematography — there are memorable shots of tinned up shops, beached crustacea and the demolition of disused industrial buildings.

Gripping and heartening, Finlay’s film is an antidote to the dominant cultural narrative that prioritises economic growth above the needs of people and the ecosystem.In cinemas October 23

Interview / 20 October 2026 The strange death of Teesside crabs 20 October 2026 WILL STONE speaks to film director JEANIE FINLAY about her campaigning new film that explores the ongoing devastation of wildlife and livelihoods on Teesside