Independent Lens
One With the Whale
Hunting whales is a matter of life or death for the residents of St. Lawrence.
The Last Trap Family
A self-described “fishermom” strives against harsh economics and gender stereotypes to keep her family’s traditional fishing business afloat.
- Series
- Indie Lens Storycast
- Premiere Date
- August 26, 2019
- Length
- 11 minutes
- Funding Initiative
- Short-Form Open Call
Producer/Director
Hudson Lines
Hudson Lines is a director and producer based in Brooklyn, NY. He has been behind the lens of a camera since childhood making movies with his brothers. Professionally, he began working as an editor and second shooter for films directed by Gary Hustwit (Urbanized, Workplace). He founded Pilcrow Studio and has directed several short films for The Art… Show more
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The Film
Life as a “fishermom” is complicated. In the male-dominated, nearly outdated tradition of trap fishing, Corey Forrest refuses to let personal or economic challenges prevent her from carrying on a family legacy. Throughout the early 20th century, more than 200 fish traps lined Rhode Island’s coastline, and for over a century, Corey’s family was connected to those traps. Now they rally against rising costs and a dwindling pool of available crew.
The Last Trap Family is the story of Corey – mother, college graduate, and trap fisher – deeply connected to her work, her family, and the ocean. Director Hudson Lines takes us on-board her family’s ship and engulfs us in a world that forgoes technology for tradition as readily as it departs the land and heads out to sea. It’s a world that requires Corey’s physical and mental stamina, but her fighting spirit might not be enough to keep a dying practice alive.
