The Nettle Dress
Synopsis
The challenge of making zero carbon clothing sourced within a few miles of his home means re-learning ancient crafts and recalls the fairy tale 'Wild Swans'.
THE NETTLE DRESS follows Allan’s whole journey through all the seasons and years. Foraging, spinning, weaving, cutting and sewing the cloth. Finally the healing vision of the dress back in the woods where the nettles were picked, worn by one of his daughters. 'Grasping the Nettle' is at the heart of the film. Making a dress this way becomes devotional, with every thread representing hours of mindful loving craft. Over seven years Allan is transformed by the process just as the nettles are. Both the film and dress, a hand-spun labour of love in the truest sense, THE NETTLE DRESS is a modern-day fairytale and hymn to the healing power of nature and slow craft.
Details
- Year
- 2023
- Type of project
- Features
- Running time
- 68 min
- Director
-
Dylan Howitt
- Producer
- Dylan Howitt
- Editor
- Dylan Howitt
- Director of Photography
- Dylan Howitt
- Composer
- Alex Munslow, Liz Pearson
Categories
Production Status
Production Company
Softly Films Limited
Europa HouseGoldstone Villas
Hove
BN3 3RQ.
Page updates
This page was last updated on 12th May 2025. Please let us know if we need to make any amendments or request edit access by clicking below.
See also
You may also be interested in other relevant projects in the database.
Spacewoman
Director: Hannah Berryman
Year: 2024
A landmark feature documentary about astronaut Eileen Collins, the first woman to pilot and command the Space Shuttle. Eileen’s incredible journey starts with her smalltown beginnings, sees her smash through many glass ceilings, and culminates in four dramatic space shuttle missions, the last being possibly the most dangerous and most important of them all. At its heart the film is the moving human drama of one family, where a mother’s extraordinary career takes us straight to the big philosophical question of what is the level of acceptable risk in human endeavour? This film celebrates Commander Collins’ trailblazing NASA career which opened the way for women to become spacecraft pilots and commanders, and proved a perfect riposte to a previous generation of male astronauts who thought there was no place for women to lead the way in space. Official Selection DOC NYC 2024 - World premiere Official Selection CPH:DOX 2025 - European premiere
Shoot the People
Director: Andy Mundy-Castle
Year: 2025
Photographer and activist Misan Harriman, documents the global impact of protest movements, capturing the resilience of grassroots activists fighting for equality, civil rights, and social justice in the year he was nominated for an Oscar for his short film THE AFTER. A documentary capturing photographer and activist Misan Harriman’s journey documenting global protest movements that drive social change. Following Harriman as he highlights the resilience of grassroots activists fighting for equality, civil rights, and social justice, the film showcases the intersectionality of these movements and their collective power. With historical context, interviews with activists, and explorations of digital activism, the documentary reveals how Harriman's lens brings the world's activism to light, inspiring viewers to recognize their own power in shaping a more just society. Official Selection SXSW London Film Festival 2025 Official Selection DOC NYC 2025
Captured Souls: In Conversation with Graham Humphreys
Director: Chris Collier
Year: 2025
Told in Graham Humphreys' own words and through a series of intimate conversations, this film explores the life and legacy of the UK's most iconic horror illustrator. From a childhood marked by a haunting Ladybird skeleton to the gouache-drenched goth era of EVIL DEAD and NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, Humphreys reflects on a career that has defined horror for generations. Featuring discussions with Reece Shearsmith, Andy Nyman, Madeline Smith, Alan Jones, and more, the film charts a vivid timeline through banned video sleeves, goth clubs, iconic posters, and the rediscovery of a lost original.