Lost Boys: a powerful story of connection

A NEW documentary filmed in Cornwall over a two-year period will be screened at the Kendal Mountain Festival later this year.

- by ABIGAIL NICHOLSON [e-mail] @cornwalllive

The Lost Boys of Carbis Bay, directed by Dan Simpkins, captures the unseen world of Cornish underground explorers a tight-knit group of men who share a passion for mine exploration.

"Shot over two years, the documentary is a deeply personal and visually stunning project about a group of explorers called the Carbis Bay Crew which has been submitted to more than 20 film festivals," said a spokesperson for the project.

"Simpkins, whose filmmaking is inspired by Cornwall's people and landscape, spent weekends travelling from London to film the group, eventually moving back to Cornwall for three months to embed himself in their world.

"The film's subjects are far from the stereotypical thrillseekers. Instead, they are working-class men, full of humour and character, who find in the mines a rare space for reflection and camaraderie.

"In a society where men's mental health remains a quiet crisis, the film offers a raw look at how shared risk and time underground become a powerful form of therapy and connection."