After a sold-out cinema run across the UK, the film that took audiences deep into Cornwall’s forgotten mines is available to watch online, anywhere in the world, now.
The Lost Boys of Carbis Bay, the documentary that follows a group of daring underground explorers known as the Carbis Bay Crew, is now available to stream globally for free.
The move marks the next chapter for a film that began as a small run of local screenings and grew into a nationwide cinema tour with the Kendal Mountain Film Festival, then selling out independent screenings at local cinemas across Cornwall and beyond.
Directed by Dan Simpkins and edited by Angus Breton, the 30-minute film spent two years in production, much of it shot deep underground in Cornwall’s disused mines. It follows the Carbis Bay Crew as their shared passion for mine exploration becomes something far bigger: a way to talk openly about friendship, family and men’s mental health.
The documentary won Best Adventure & Exploration Film at the Kendal Mountain Festival, where it premiered to a packed room at Kendal Town Hall and the buzz surrounding it hasn’t subsided with a Q&A on 11th July at The Poly cinema in Falmouth at 07:30PM.
Producer Kirsty Malcolm of Roll Nine Productions, who has worked as an Executive Producer on the film, says the story’s themes have struck a chord with viewers.
“As filmmakers working on a passion project, the main motivation is to make something that could make a difference. Having lost my father to mental health struggles, my hope for this film was simple: if it helped even one man, it would be a success. What I can say proudly, is that this has been achieved. Countless men have come up to us at screenings, sent us voice notes or written to us on social media, to say the film hit home in ways none of us could have imagined. Seeing their lives, fears and dreams reflected in these ordinary, but extraordinary blokes has given men a way to reflect and speak out about how they’re really feeling.”
Carbis Bay Crew member Pat Moret, one of the explorers featured in the film, said the documentary has already become something the group treasures.
“It’s captured our little club and turned it into a piece of Cornish history we’ll always be proud of. None of us are getting any younger, and now we have this record, and the whole world can see it too.”
Director Dan Simpkins adds;
“We’ve been overwhelmed with requests for people to see the film from as far flung as Australia and the USA to across Cornwall, so we’re so pleased to finally be able to share The Lost Boys of Carbis Bay online and for free for everyone to watch. We also can’t thank everyone and all the independent cinemas across Cornwall enough for their incredible support during our cinema run. We can’t wait for even more people to discover the film, and we hope you enjoy watching it as much as we enjoyed making it.”
One of the unsung talents to emerge from the film has been the underground photography of fellow Carbis Bay Crew member Tim Clarke, whose images of hidden waterfalls, crystal formations and remarkably preserved mining history have amazed audiences and become one of the most talked-about elements of the film. The crew have been thinking about writing a book of their experiences alongside the epic images. We would therefore love to hear from any local galleries and venues interested in featuring his work, as well as publishers or coffee table book experts who might be able to help bring this piece of history to life in print.
The team also want to thank the many many individuals and freelancers who helped make the film possible that included incredible talent from across Cornwall and the UK.
The Lost Boys of Carbis Bay is available to watch now at Journeyman Pictures.
In other news… the team are also starting work on their NEXT film, which will also feature some incredible Cornish people… and this time it’s some inspiring local women taking on a remarkable challenge.
Special thanks to everyone who contributed to this film:
Credit List: The Lost Boys of Carbis Bay
Director: Daniel Simpkins
Produced by: Daniel Simpkins and Angus Breton
Executive Producer: Kirsty Malcolm
Director of Photography: Daniel Simpkins
Camera Assistant: Oliver Duncan and Carlo D’Angano
Location Sound: Laurence Pearson and Milo Finney
Editors: Angus Breton and Tommaso Di Paola
Colour: Paul Koren
Sound Design: Richard Butler and Laurence Pearson
Animators: Joel Porter and Lydia Wonham
Motion Graphics: Tyler Jack Cross
Original Music by: Harris Grant-Forster
Featuring:
Carbis Bay Crew
Featuring (in order of appearance):
Tim Clarke, Benjy Barker, Pat Moret
Paul Talbot, Lauren Kemp, Sam Perkin
Doug Kemp, Daniel Gough, Louis Sanger
James Humphreys, Pete Harrison, Finley Harrison
Simon Pulley, Peter Flanagan, Lil Moret
Lerryn Moret, Nick Brooker, Pete Greening
Chris Waters, Jennifer Forbes, Jane Moret
Special Thanks to:
Moret Family, David Kora, Annie Haines, Julia Watson
Theo Cockrean, Josh Burbridge, Philip Simpkins
Angela Simpkins, Enrico Artuso, Hector Lewis,
Focus Canning, Canon UK, Peli, DG Self Storage
Geevor Tin Mine Museum, East Cornwall Search and Rescue
Archive Material Courtesy of:
Pat Moret, Tim Clarke, Chris Waters
ICould, Education and Employers
Benjy Barker, Mine Addicts Cornwall
This film was made possible with the support of:
MAN UP?
Roll Nine
Roundhouse Post Production
Falmouth University | Sound Image Cinema Lab
