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Canny Marshall was commissioned to develop a series of short films exploring the English Riviera’s heritage. The first film features the English Riviera’s most famous author and her passion for swimming in Torbay’s naturally inspiring environment.
As part of Torbay Culture’s Recovery Fund work they commissioned Canny Marshall to produce a new short film looking at local heritage from different perspectives. The first of these celebrates Agatha Christie’s passion for swimming and the natural environment. It explores some of her favourite swimming places – Anstey’s cove, Beacon cove, Meadfoot beach and Elberry cove – and at Greenway, her summer home now in the care of the National Trust.
This literary, visual, and natural heritage link to the English Riviera – designated by UNESCO as a Global Geopark – has been created by a team of local talent
Director: AMANDA BLUGLASS
Producer: KAREN MARSHALL
Cinematographer: DANNY COOKE
Editor: JAKE CAUTY
Presenter: MATT NEWBURY
Actor: MORWENNA GRAZIANO
Voice: ALICE BAILEY
Runner: ROSE THOMPSON
The film premiered on 16 September 2021 at Torre Abbey as part of the International Agatha Christie Festival and was a sell out, so a few additional places were released by the festival.
‘Agatha Swims’ has also been awarded ‘Director’s Choice’ in the English Riviera Film Festival 2021.
Dame Agatha Christie (1890-1976)
Born in Torquay, Agatha Christie lived in the bay for many years, retaining a holiday home at Greenway near Galmpton. Her novels have been translated into more than 100 languages, and over two billion volumes have been sold. Hundreds of film and television adaptations of Christie’s stories have been produced. As an indicator of the author’s enduring popularity, The Mousetrap, nearly 70 years old, was chosen as one of the first productions to reopen the West End following the easing of lockdown restrictions.
The Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage was managed by the National Lottery Heritage Fund on behalf of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS)
Thanks to: The Christie Archive Trust, Agatha Christie Limited, HarperCollins, National Trust: Greenway
Additional words and images: © The Francis Frith Collection, The Box Plymouth, Torre Abbey
Extracts from The ABC Murders © 1936 Agatha Christie Limited, extracts from An Autobiography of Agatha Christie © 1975 Agatha Christie Limited. All rights reserved
Image: from Agatha Swims (Torbay Culture/Karen Marshall) featuring Morwenna Graziano at Anstey’s cove
November 16, 2021