Official Selection

Treasure tells two irrevocably intertwined stories, centuries apart; a treasure hunter’s tenacious quest across the British countryside, and a community led by a mother whose precious sacrifice provides a connection through the ages. Watercolour paintings and hand drawn animation create a timeless and beautiful celebration of the enduring power of love and human connection. Layers of colour, light, and texture bring to life the atmospheric 3,000 year old narratives that have shaped the landscape of Shropshire on the border between England and Wales. Samantha Moore has worked with a team of archaeologists and historians from Shropshire and the British Museum to make sure that this evocation is authentically portrayed. Elizabeth Purnell’s score beautifully carries the emotional weight of a community centred on the sun, and a man whose obsession leads him to discover a spectacular treasure. The discovery of the Shropshire sun pendant in 2018 was the most significant finding from that culture in Europe in a hundred years. Its pristine crafting, evoking the suns rays, calls into question everything we think we know about the community that made and eventually sacrificed it.