As the Tide Comes In
The 27 residents on the tiny Danish Wadden Sea island of Mandø, are used to severe weather and flooding. Climate change has only made things worse and now it poses a serious existential threat to the eight-square-kilometer island. However, its last farmer, Gregers, whose family has lived there for eight generations, hasn’t given up in the face of the impending catastrophe. He refuses to build a life elsewhere and instead hopes to find a wife to manage the farm with him.
As a storm is slowly approaching, Gregers and his faithful dog inspect the obsolete dikes that protect his beloved island. In the meantime, Mie blows out the candles of her 100th-year birthday
cake, Ellen and Ingeborg complain about the moon disease they suffer from, birdwatcher Niels laments about the rare birds that don’t come to the island anymore, and tourist guide Preben tells stories about past deadly floods to summer visitors. Despite the new threats from the rising sea, today’s current generation holds on steadfastly to their little part of the world.
The portrait of this microcosm is accompanied by masterfully crafted shots of the distinctive landscape, shifting skies, and seas that change with the wind. In a sense, the grim fate of these islanders, presented in drily humorous situations, will affect us all.
CREDITS
Writer and Director: Juan Palacios
Co-director and Line Producer: Sofie Husum Johannesen
Producer: Kasper Lykke Schultz
Director of Photography: Juan Palacios
Editor: Nicolas Nørgaard Staffolani
Sound designer: Peter Albrechtsen, MPSE
Music composer: Morten Svenstrup
Original idea, Creative and Executive producer: Andreas Dalsgaard
Story development: Juan Palacios, Sofie Husum Johannesen,
Kasper Lykke Schultz & Andreas Dalsgaard
Participants:
Gregers Jørgensen & Sif - Mona Jørgensen - Osvald Jørgensen - Mie Laverentz - Ellen Hjort Christensen -
Ingeborg Jørgensen - Søren Stenbjerg - Solvej Sørensen - Erik Sørensen - Niels Knudsen - Ingrid Hye -
Andreas Hübschmann - Preben Nielsen - Michael H.N. Nielsen - Niels Christian Hjorth Nielsen - Bente Sven
Majchczack - Ruth Blankenfeldt - Timo Willershäuser
Produced by ELK FILM with support from THE DANISH FILM INSTITUTE by NEW DANISH SCREEN, Commissioning Editor Christina Ramsø Thomsen, TV2 Commissioning Editor Nikolaj Daugberg / Realdania / Claus Sørensens Fond / Merkurfonden / Danske Filminstruktører / Dansk Journalistforbund