The Isle of Rum

Culture & Art, Destinations 52' or 43' 2022 HD

Two hours by ferry from the Scottish mainland lies one of the bigger islands of the Inner Hebrides, Rum, which boasts only about 35 human inhabitants, grouped in two kilometers stretch around the harbor. Resilient, eccentric and living a life that is often romanticized, three of the inhabitants of the island allow access to their daily life.

What was once know as the Forbidden Island is now a nature reserve, a fascinating location for day trippers and yachts. But beyond that, it is an island that has no indigenous people, that can easily be cut off from the rest of the world and that has been a magnet for unusual humans. Creating a world in which both independence and community play important roles on this island, the rough beauty of the nature and the stark demands on its inhabitants show a microcosm that draws the audience in. 

In a slow-paced, gorgeously shot documentary, we get a glimpse into the life of David Beaton, the unique harbor master, Kim Taylor, the proprietor of the only restaurant on the island and the young entrepreneur Fergus McGowan, who decided to implement the age-old joke of making Rum on Rum.