Beasts of the Southern Wild + Short - Film at The Share Centre

Venue: The Share Centre | 88 Stow Hill, Newport, NP20 4DW
Date: 28/08/2026
Doors: 18:00 Close: 22:00
Entry: Free

This special community cinema evening presents Beasts of the Southern Wild, preceded by The Coat, a locally made film poem exploring resilience, memory, vulnerability and hope. The screenings will be followed by an informal audience conversation.

BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD

Six-year-old Hushpuppy lives with her father, Wink, in the Bathtub, an isolated South Louisiana community beyond the protection of the levees.

When Wink becomes seriously ill and rising waters threaten their home, Hushpuppy’s world begins to fall apart. As prehistoric creatures emerge in her imagination, she sets out in search of her long-lost mother and prepares herself for the possible loss of her father.

Released in 2012 and directed by Benh Zeitlin, Beasts of the Southern Wild blends social realism, childhood imagination and magical fable. Told through Hushpuppy’s point of view, the film transforms illness and environmental destruction into events of mythical scale, reflecting the way a child tries to understand forces beyond her control.

At the centre of the story is a remarkable young female protagonist. Hushpuppy is brave, imaginative and fiercely independent, but her strength has developed in a world where vulnerability is often treated as weakness. Her absent mother becomes an almost legendary figure, while other women offer knowledge, care and glimpses of a different kind of life.

The film was widely celebrated following its premiere, winning major awards at Sundance and Cannes and receiving four Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actress for Quvenzhané Wallis.

We programmed this film because it opens conversations about childhood resilience, grief, climate change, displacement and communities living outside the mainstream.

It also raises difficult questions. Does the film celebrate the independence of the Bathtub, or romanticise poverty and danger? Is Hushpuppy being empowered, or forced to become independent far too young?

The screening will be followed by an informal audience conversation exploring Hushpuppy’s journey, parenting, masculinity, the film’s female characters, and the tension between protecting vulnerable communities and respecting their right to determine their own future.

BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD
Directed by Benh Zeitlin
USA, 2012 | Approximately 93 minutes | Certificate 12A
English

Age rating: 12A (BBFC). Children under 12 may attend only when accompanied by an adult. The BBFC advice includes moderate threat, injury detail and potentially dangerous behaviour.

Please note: The film contains scenes of flooding and environmental danger, parental illness, bereavement, child endangerment, alcohol use and moments of aggression that some viewers may find upsetting.

Explore how the film was made: read the BFI’s interview with director Benh Zeitlin about collaborative filmmaking, working with non-professional actors, creating the Bathtub and filming the story from Hushpuppy’s perspective:

Rebel charm: Benh Zeitlin on Beasts of the Southern Wild

Watch the official trailer:

Opening short film: THE COAT

Before the feature, we will screen The Coat, a locally made film poem about resilience, repair and the strength we find within ourselves.

Based on a poem by Patrick Jones, the film grew from a series of workshops with the TLC Writing Group in Cwmbran. Participants explored resilience, identity and personal experience through poetry and storytelling.

Produced and directed by Jason Bartlett, with cinematography by Keefa Chan, the film brings the poem to life through an exploration of memory, vulnerability and hope. It reflects on the stories, struggles and experiences we carry with us, and on the strength that can emerge through creativity, reflection and connection.

THE COAT
Poem written by Patrick Jones
Produced and directed by Jason Bartlett
Cinematography by Keefa Chan
Created through workshops with the TLC Writing Group, Cwmbran
UK, 2026 | 5 minutes | English

Featuring the voices and experiences of Hayley Young, Mike Rawson, Les Foster, Sharron Davies, Julie Cross, Maurice Chambers, Stephanie Mapstone and other workshop participants.