David Robinson and Bryan Michael Mills, a film-making duo from Enniskillen who are based in London, are screening their new film, ‘Eel Soup’, at the Linnet Inn in Boho on Sunday, August 20 at 7pm.

‘Eel Soup’ is a silent black and white film, with original score, loosely based on the story of Denis McCabe, a musician and employee of the Castle Caldwell Estate, Belleek and The Fiddler’s Stone – a tombstone made in his memory is currently placed at the entrance to Castle Caldwell Forest Park, Co. Fermanagh.

The stone reads as follows.

“Beware ye fidlers of ye fidlers fate nor tempt ye deep least ye repent too late: Ye ever have been deemed to water foes, then shun ye lake till it with whisky flows; on firm land only exercise your skill, there you may play and drink your fill. D.D.D. J.J.”

Filmed on location in Fermanagh, at the Linnet Inn, Boho, Castle Caldwell, Keenaghan Lough near Belleek and Rossigh on Lough Erne in 2022 using traditional analogue film techniques, Eel Soup is a bleak, surreal, silent short film that references Beckett’s ‘First Love’ monologue, isolation and ghosts.

Robinson and Mills are gaining an international reputation for their idiosyncratic style combining music and stop-motion animation.

Officially selected

Their film, ‘The Boat’, has already been officially selected for Tampere Film Festival (Finland), Cork International Film Festival, AmDocs (USA) and ShortShorts (Tokyo).

In November, 2021, The Boat won best film at The Fungi Film Festival (USA).

Robinson is a photographer, printer, animator and writer who worked in design and advertising in London for 20 years before focusing on animation.

He is also somewhat fanatical about mushrooms, writing and illustrating two children’s books – ‘The Mushroom Picker’, and ‘Penny Bun Helps Save the World’ – before the award-winning stop-motion film, The Boat.

Mills is a composer, musician and actor. Previously a member of The Divine Comedy, he now makes music for film – including the winner of the 2012 BAFTA Best Short Film, ‘Pitch Black Heist’, and the 2015 Sundance Best Foreign Film, ‘Slow West’.

The duo use stop-motion photography, 8mm film and analogue recording techniques to make unique film and music inspired by mushrooms, magic and melancholia.