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RAI FILM Festival takes place on 27-30 March 2025. Learn more.

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John the Eel Trapper

Directed by Toni de Bromhead

1982 – 28'

Synopsis

The fens of East Anglia provide the scenery for this documentary. At the centre of the film is John, a solitary character, who makes his living by trapping eels in the numerous canals of the area. We see him at work and narrating his own story. Eel trapping is illegal, so he is always on the run: this is a tale of poaching, a traditional craft, and the influence of the modern state on the individual.

RAI FILM Festival 2025

The next RAI FILM Festival will take place in person from 27-30 March 2025 at the Watershed Cinema and the Arnolfini International Centre for Contemporary Arts in Bristol (UK) and online throughout the month of April 2025.