Stories of Maine fishermen convey the challenges of facing the ocean

“The Long Coast,” from Maine filmmaker Ian Cheney and available to stream through PMA Films, is the sort of movie that disabuses one of that notion. A meditative mix of interviews, striking but unobtrusive cinematography, and, yes, Maine’s uniquely picturesque, majestic coastal beauty, “The Long Coast” is a portrait in collage and montage. The 86-minute film’s five segments (and a somber, chilly COVID-era epilogue) have plenty to say – about Maine’s working ocean culture, global warming, overfishing, conservation, and innovation. But “The Long Coast’s” impact comes when you step back. The individual pieces are uniformly fascinating, but the overall picture Cheney presents of Maine’s vast and varied (and ever-changing) fishing ecosystem is a down-home masterpiece.

“The Long Coast” can be rented through PMA Films’ virtual video store at portlandmuseum.org/films.

The 72-hour ticket for this 86-minute film is a very-worth-it $10, with a portion of each rental going right to PMA Films.

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