Two Years at Sea

Ben Rivers brings the beauty and texture he has become known for in his shorts to his debut feature.

We’ve been enjoying Ben Rivers’ short films for some time and hopes were high for his first feature, but there was also some trepidation. Would Rivers’ approach – shooting in 16mm monochrome, highlighting textures and moments – work over the course of a whole feature? We needn’t have worried. From the very first frames of Two Years At Sea you feel you’re in good hands, and through accumulated detail, scattered clues and odd episodes it unfolds into something special. The beauty of the images is no surprise but what’s really exciting here is the skill Rivers shows in telling a story, building a world, while nothing much appears to be happening.