The fact that Beasts of the Southern Wild got made at all is almost as remarkable as the film itself. With a very young director, an unconventional narrative structure, marginal characters and challenging locations, it hardly seemed destined to be a hit. A commercial success in America, winner of the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance and the Camera d’or at Cannes, we hope it will now be embraced by the people of Dundee.

Six-year-old Hushpuppy (an extraordinary Quvenzhané Wallis) calls the Bathtub, the offshore New Orleans community where she lives, the prettiest place on Earth. On first glance most of us would disagree with her, but the local residents are willing to do anything to hang onto their isolated way of life and to protect the land. Hushpuppy lives in her own house near her father Wink (local baker-turned actor Dwight Henry) who struggles not only to raise his daughter but simply to survive. His tough love approach with her is part of his plan to prepare her for what is to come: a devastating storm and the progress of his terminal illness.

Some have called Beasts of the Southern Wild a modern-day fairytale, others an allegory for the state of the underprivileged in society. Whatever your take, it’s like nothing you’ve ever seen before. Unforgettable and unique, this film is a distinctive calling card for a young filmmaker who now has a lot to live up to.