This Blessed Plot
In This Blessed Plot, which takes its title from John of Gaunt’s deathbed speech singing the praises of England in Shakespeare’s Richard II, director Marc Isaacs examines the social and cultural fabric of the United Kingdom, the subject of all his films. This time he creates an eccentric mix of documentary and fiction in Essex.
Lori, a Chinese filmmaker, visits the historic village of Thaxted, where Pier Paolo Pasolini filmed part of the Middle English epic The Canterbury Tales. Looking for a subject for a film, Lori hears stories of ghosts from the past, including one about the 20th-century socialist vicar Conrad Noel. She is curious about how his socialism differs from the Chinese version, and has conversations with his spirit in the afterlife.
Lori meets some remarkable locals, who talk to her about love, parting, grief and loss. Gradually she becomes involved in a plot between villagers Keith, Sue, Maggie, Norman and ”Uncle,” which is at times farcical, and at others dramatic, and she is introduced to English folklore and spirituality.
Marc Isaacs
Since 2001, Marc Isaacs has made more than 18 creative documentaries for the likes of BBC, Channel 4 and Film Festivals. His films have won Grierson, Royal Television Society and BAFTA awards, as well as numerous international film festival prizes. In 2006, Marc had a retrospective at the prestigious Lussas Documentary Film Festival in France. 2008 Marc received an honorary doctorate from the University of East London for his documentary work. Marc has been a guest tutor at numerous universities and film schools in the UK and overseas, including the London Film School and the National Film and Television School. A complete box set of his films was released by Second Run DVD in 2018. His current film, The Filmmaker's House, has recently become a hit on the international festival circuit.
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