Friday 2nd August 6.30pm

THE STORY Textile artist Allan Brown spends seven years making a dress by hand, using only the fibre of locally foraged stinging nettles. This is ‘hedgerow couture’, the greenest of slow fashion and also his medicine. It’s how he survives the death of his wife Alex, which leaves him and their four children bereft, and how he finds a beautiful way to honour her. 'Grasping the Nettle' is at the heart of this story. The challenge of making zero carbon clothing means relearning ancient crafts: foraging, processing, spinning, weaving, cutting and sewing. Making a dress this way becomes devotional and healing. ‘While making the dress over all these years, I felt like I was being transformed by the nettles rather than the other way around,’ says Allan. ‘When Alex was ill and going through chemotherapy, as soon as I began spinning yarn, I felt calmer. It became much more than just a piece of cloth; it's been woven with the stories of people who know and love you.’ The dress is made up of 14,400 feet of thread, each one representing hours of loving attention. Finally, the dress is worn in the woods where the nettles were picked, by Oonagh, one of Allan's daughters. Director Dylan Howitt says: ‘This is a story about the deep value of creativity and imagination, and a slow, mindful craft that is more in tune with the natural world.’ THE NETTLE DRESS - UK RELEASE The Nettle Dress has been a word of mouth sensation since going on UK general release in September 2023, distributed by Dartmouth Films. It’s played to packed houses across the country (in over 120 cinemas to date, many hundred screenings) and looks set to be among the top ten highest grossing theatrical documentaries in the UK box office for 2023. Along the way it’s picked up three audience choice awards at festivals, garnered many 5 star reviews and a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The success has been down to understanding and connecting with our core demographic - the craft and making community. A very significant number of people (mostly women over 40) count themselves part of that community and feel celebrated by our film. They have come out to see it in their thousands and very often have enthusiastically helped promote it too. We’ve been energetic and targeted in our marketing, reaching out to craft guilds and groups, courses and stores and via our 29,000 strong Facebook group. Other intersecting groups have also embraced the film - artists, gardeners, herbalists, walkers, environmentalists, and grief support groups amongst them.