Albatross

Albatross is a 2011 British coming-of-age drama film directed by Niall MacCormick, written by Tamzin Rafn and starring Sebastian Koch, Julia Ormond, Felicity Jones and Jessica Brown Findlay. The film revolves around the premise of an aspiring teenage writer entering the lives of a dysfunctional family living on the south coast of England. "Albatross" is a metaphor used to describe a constant and inescapable burden. The film was shot entirely on the Isle of Man with the support of the island's government. It is MacCormick's feature film debut, he having previously made his name in television. Also making her debut was screenwriter Tamzin Rafn. Rafn based the script on her own experiences as a rebellious teenager. Albatross premiered at the Edinburgh International Film Festival in June 2011. It was released in the United Kingdom on 14 October 2011 garnering mixed reviews, although Brown Findlay has received praise for her performance. Plot The rebellious teenage dropout, Emelia Conan Doyle, believes herself to be a descendant of Arthur Conan Doyle. She takes on a job as a cleaner in a seaside hotel owned by Jonathan Fischer. Jonathan is a writer from Germany who has struggled with writer's block since his successful first novel, The Cliff House, was published 21 years before. He lives in the hotel with his wife Joa and two daughters, Beth, 17, and Posy, 6. Jonathan is constantly sequestered in the attic working ineffectually on his writing, leaving the hotel to be run by Joa. Their marriage is stormy, as Joa is unhappy about Jonathan's lack of success in his profession and his disconnected parenting. Meanwhile, Emelia has lived with her grandparents since her mother committed suicide.