Film fans are being offered an early chance to see the new feature by Newlyn’s award-winning film-maker Mark Jenkin.

Enys Men is Mark’s “folk horror” follow-up to his Bafta-winning hit Bait – similarly shot mostly in and around his home in West Penwith.

The cast once again features Mary Woodvine (known for Poldark, Judge John Deed and Doc Martin) and Edward “Kernow King” Rowe.

The new film is not due for UK-wide release until January 13 but its distributor, the British Film Institute, is teaming up with Film Hub South West and producer Denzil Monk to put on a series of advance screenings, with Mark at each for a question and answer session.

The film’s name, Enys Men, is a Cornish (Kernewek) phrase meaning “Stone Island” and the standing stone shown in many sequences is inspired by Boswens Menhir, one of the West Country’s megalithic monuments believed to date back to at least 1,200 BCE.

Most of the film was shot in West Penwith, including at Geevor Mine and along the Tin Coast.

And the Cornish language is an essential element, including an original song written by Mercury Prize 2022 nominee Gwenno.

To highlight this, in what is believed to be a feature film promotional first bilingual Cornish/English posters are being produced.

The film is set in 1973 and centres on a wildlife volunteer whose daily observations of a strange flower on a lonely island take a dark turn, involving miners, bal maidens, a boat wreck and a Bronze Age menhir, forcing both her and viewers to question what is real and what is nightmare.

Producer Denzil Monk said: “This is a Cornish production through and through and a celebration of Cornwall’s rich folklore, its tin and copper mining heritage, relationship with the sea and stunning natural beauty.”

SHOWINGS

The first preview will be on Monday, January 2 at 7.30pm at Newlyn Filmhouse; the next is on Tuesday, January 3 at the Savoy Cinema, Penzance.

More follow:

January 4 (5.45pm) Lighthouse Cinema, Newquay.

January 4 (8.30pm) Plaza Cinema, Truro.

January 5 (5.45pm), Capitol Cinema, Bodmin.

January 5 (8.30pm) Regal Cinema, Wadebridge.

In addition there will be extra screenings and Q&As with Mark Jenkin and, where possible, members of his cast and the production team:

January 18 (7.30pm) Regal Cinema, Redruth.

January 19 (7.30pm) The Poly, Falmouth.

January 20 (8pm) White River Cinema, St Austell.

• Details and booking at www.enysmen.co.uk