The Archivist
Feature documentary. 90 mins
WORLD PREMIERE: SHEFFIELD DOC/FEST
13TH JUNE 2026
sheffdocfest.com/film/archivist
In a battle against time and technology, can ‘Britain’s greatest living folklorist’ find a home for his vast and self-funded archive of irreplaceable audiovisual material?
Following in a noble lineage of Great British nonconformists, David ‘Doc’ Rowe has spent the last 60 years tirelessly documenting the rich tapestry of mysterious folk customs that continue to thrive in forgotten corners of this Island Nation. THE ARCHIVIST follows this indefatigable man through the wheel of a year like no other; capturing not only his efforts to get back on the road despite health issues and Covid lockdowns, but also his crusade to find a permanent home for his one-of-a-kind collection.
Following in a noble lineage of Great British nonconformists, David ‘Doc’ Rowe has spent the last 60 years tirelessly documenting the rich tapestry of mysterious folk customs that continue to thrive in forgotten corners of this Island Nation. THE ARCHIVIST follows this indefatigable man through the wheel of a year like no other; capturing not only his efforts to get back on the road despite health issues and Covid lockdowns, but also his crusade to find a permanent home for his one-of-a-kind collection.
Please support our crowdfunding campaign to permanently preserve a key section of folklorist Doc Rowe’s incredible archive.
crowdfunder.co.uk/p/docrowe
And spread the word on socials!