Edith Walks

Edith Walks is a 60-minute, multi-layered transformative tapestry of a film that takes the audience on a visually stunning, theatrical, and poetic journey, intriguing and engaging the psyche. The film was created by the exceptionally imaginative Andrew Kotting and features performances by David Aylward, Claudia Barton, and a host of other artists.

The film is unlike most traditional narrative films. Edith Walks is a meandering odyssey that, in many ways, exists more as an experience than a traditional story. The film invites viewers to embark on a strange yet engaging pilgrimage from Waltham Abbey in Essex to St Leonards-on-Sea in East Sussex via Battle Abbey. It is a one-of-a-kind trip where reality meets dream-like sequences and past meets present.

The main premise or narrative thread of the film involves a group of people, including a choir master and a pinhole photographer, undertaking this walk following the imagined footsteps of Edith Swan Neck. Edith was the hand-fast wife of English king Harold Godwinson, who died at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The film regales the tale of Edith's journey as she rescues the fallen king's body from the battlefield and carries it to the cliffs of the town now known as Old Hastings for burial.

Under Kotting's exceptional ability, historical fact and myth mix and mingle to create a mesmerizing and ethereal narrative. The symbolism of time and memory are personified by the character of Edith, portrayed by Claudia Barton. David Aylward brings to life the character of King Harold Godwinson. These characters are layered with potent episodes from history, legend, and folklore resulting in an engaging journey through British history.

The film delves deep into the folklore and history surrounding the Battle of Hastings, a noteworthy event that changed the course of English history. The historical and geographical landscapes provide a remarkable backdrop, lending the film a distinctly visionary feel.

The journey is marked with rich thematic elements, philosophical musings, and an exploration of anachronisms, vignettes, and symbols. There are elements of free-form associative poetry in its narration, which adds to the curious eccentricities of the film. The subtexts generally touch upon love, loss, grief, resilience, and the very act of remembering.

The filmmaking incorporates both documented real-life events and inventive fantastical sequences. The manipulation of time and scale, combined with the playful use of experimental cinematography, visuals, and layered voice-over narratives, work to create the film's dreamlike texture. The film makes extensive use of archival footage, black and white footage, and modern-day handheld camera shots. These distinct visual styles lend an uncanny edge to the film.

The soundtrack is composed by Aylward and resonates with the spirit of the film. His compositions offer a heartfelt, haunting accompaniment to the film's aural landscape. The film is punctuated by conversations, music, singing, and soundscaping, which lend an aural texture to this visually striking film.

Another intriguing element to the narrative is an anonymous local woman carrying a wooden effigy depicting King Harold. The act imbues the film with an additional layer of mystery, enigma, and folklore-based symbolism. It serves as another link between past and present, allowing us to delve further into the communal memory of the land.

Edith Walks is a gripping experience that combines the allure of storytelling, the power of mythology, the allure of history, and the beauty of nature. It's an ambitious, daring, and utterly unique visionary experience that pushes the boundaries of what viewers may typically expect from a film. True, it might not be for everyone, but for those willing to go on this journey, the film provides an unusual, stimulating, and immersive cinematic experience. It's a cinematic feat that reflects Andrew Kotting's inventive explorations into the realms of film, art, performance, and British history.