Filmmaker shining spotlight on ‘living heritage’

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Filmmaker Dave Brewis has been capturing traditional celebrations across Northumberland for his upcoming independent film "Gatherings", which he expects to first show at Tyne Valley Film Festival in March.

The unnarrated documentary style film began filming at the start of the year, with Brewis planning on attending different events until the end of the year.

He said: "Most of these are hugely loved, adored, and celebrated – and bring communities together in special ways."

He did not want people to see the celebrations as just "weird, offbeat, and eccentric," he said.

"Northumberland is very known for its historic relics and landmarks, but living heritage is much more interesting to me," Brewis said.

One village which features in the film is Allendale during its New Year celebrations, when residents carry flaming tar barrels above their heads whilst wearing elaborate dress robes.

Why? Brewis said it is hard to know, because many traditions pre-date recorded history, which he said generally came about through church wardens starting to write down their accounts.

"The vast majority of enduring folk traditions, nobody is very sure as to the origins," he said.

Over in Whalton – last counted as having a population of less than 500 – Davis recorded the village's traditional approach to Midsummer's Eve, including residents dancing around a bonfire.

The event, which celebrates the longest day of summer and featured superstitious rituals, was popular during the middle ages.

It was cracked down against during the 16th and 17th Centuries, with some rulers fearing it could spark disorder.

After the industrial revolution and a shift to city life, as well as a shift away from folklore, the celebration mostly faded away.

However, Brewis believes Whalton is the last village to celebrate it on 4 July rather than our actual summer solstice on 20 or 21 June – which changed after Britain moved from the Julian to Gregorian calendar.

Brewis said he hopes to first tour the film across independent cinemas in Northumberland, before showing it across the UK.

He hoped the budget for the final phase of creating the film and distributing it would be supported by a fundraiser he was launching later this month.

"I'm trying to create an authentic mirror and reduce the barriers between the events themselves and the audience," he said.

"I think there's a lot more story to tell about our region and it's not often told."

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