This film is part of Free
Sunley's Daughter
A bitter-sweet love story set in Guisborough, a remote corner of North Yorkshire.
Overview
Young Mary Sunley toils from dawn till dusk on her parents' farm, tucked away in Guisborough, a remote corner of North Yorkshire. Her father's refusal to embrace electricity or modern machinery means Mary must hand-milk the herd and heft half-hundred-weight bales of hay. But when her life is touched by a neighbouring farm-hand, Mary faces a stark dilemma: follow family tradition or be true to her heart?
This is a fine example of the kind of beautifully-crafted rural-themed documentaries that Barry Cockcroft became known for. As well as a prolific filmmaker, he was also an author who frequently wrote books on the same subjects as his films, including this one. 'Sunley's Daughter: The Ways of a Yorkshire Dale' was published in the same year that this film was broadcast.
Related
Doing Our Bit Doing Our Bit
Charity appeal 1935 11 mins Location: Middlesbrough
Digging a way out of the 1930s Depression in the Cleveland Hills.
Layla - Exclusive Q&A Layla - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2025 27 mins
Writer, director and performer Amrou Al-Kadhi talks to Rico Johnson-Sinclair about their debut feature.
All We Imagine As Light - Exclusive Q&A All We Imagine As Light - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2025 28 mins
Payal Kapadia discusses her Cannes prize-winning and Bafta-nominated drama with Ashanti Omkar.
Khichdi Khichdi
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2023 16 mins
The interwoven stories of four best friends who reunite in the UK, thirty-five years after training together as nurses during their teens in Ferozepur, Punjab.
Dr XYZ: A Medical Drag Transthology Dr XYZ: A Medical Drag Transthology
Documentary 2023 15 mins
A satirical take on the healthcare service announcements of the 1960s and 70s.
Every Moment Counts Every Moment Counts
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2023 9 mins
A short animation that offers a window into the world of children’s palliative care.
Police Story: Panel Discussion Police Story: Panel Discussion
Inside Film 2024 24 mins
Panel discussion on Jackie Chan's 1985 action classic Police Story, with Chase Armitage, Sam Mak and Jadey Duffield.