TAKING THE WATERS

Captions provided by CCTubes – Captioning the Internet! When Walpole Bay Today Pool was built in 1937, Margate was one of the grandest resort towns in the UK. By the late 1970s, package tourism had caused an economic slump, the pool was falling into disrepair, and the town was characterised by rising unemployment, anti-immigration tensions and socio-economic issues.

Ninety years later, Margate is experiencing a cultural revival, drawing many young creatives and artists to make it their home. In 2017, when the film was first conceived, Margate was still a UKIP stronghold. The aftermath of Brexit had heightened tensions between longtime residents and the growing immigrant population.

Director Kathryn Ferguson (NOTHING COMPARES) and writer Anna Hart discovered a community of swimmers who were united in the waters of the tidal pool, even as the town around them remained divided.

Taking the Waters is a short, meditative documentary that explores the pool’s role as a sanctuary and the healing power of communal spaces in times of political unrest.

Taking The Waters premiered at Sheffield Doc Fest in June 2018 and travelled the festival circuit where it was nominated for various awards including Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival (Grand Prix award) and Galway Film Fleadh (Best Short Documentary award). It was also long-listed for the Bafta Short Film Award in 2020.