Fished for over a thousand years, the Hollandse Nieuwe (Dutch New Herring) is a phenomenon that has become a national cultural icon. More recently, the Dutch herring fleet has lost a great deal of its importance as only two vessels are now fishing for herring under the Dutch flag.

Internationally known for the multi-award-winning trilogy Eye of the Day, Shape of the Moon and Position Among the Stars, Leonard Retel Helmrich and sister/collaborator Hetty Naaijkens-Retel Helmrich return to their signature approach, single shot cinema, which involves long takes, close to the subject, made with a flexible and smoothly moving camera. The framing and movement of the camera are paramount, capturing and directing emotions for the audience and bringing humanity and simplicity to the fore. In this way, Raw Herring is a touching story told from the point of view and daily routine of Dutch herring fishers, a life in which comradeship and herring are celebrated in equal measure with loved ones on shore.

—Frédéric Boyer

Directed by

Leonard Retel Helmrich and Hetty Naaijkens-Retel Helmrich