My Father's World
A SHORT FILM BY THIS QUIET LIGHT
”A rare and quiet walk into wisdom, beauty and faith found through a life working with the land”
A retired Head Gamekeeper from Firle Estate in East Sussex reflects on his life on the land in this meditative, poetic and thought provoking monologue through the natural world. Harking back to simpler time, Bill Young brings to life insight and connection that is quickly fading from our view with the older generations.
Filmed over 6 years by his daughter Jo Beth, we meander through landscapes in both Sussex and Ireland through all seasons set to a backdrop of her original and improvised music as the sounds of nature shimmer through momentarily.
Filmed over 6 years by his daughter Jo Beth, we meander through landscapes in both Sussex and Ireland through all seasons set to a backdrop of her original and improvised music as the sounds of nature shimmer through momentarily.
The Story Behind The Film
Back in the few months of 2019 before lockdown, Jo Beth decided to embark upon an idea she had been mulling over the last 8 years previous. To capture some of the insights of she had heard from her father Bill over the years. Bill Young is an 87 year old retired head keeper of Firle Estate in Sussex. However, you'll hear from his accent, he's not a native! Bill grew up in the Borders of Scotland where he started working as a gamekeeper from the age of 15. Apart from his stint in the army in the Scots Guards, Bill has remained steadfast to his first love of working on the land for all his life.
Having herself avidly studded many forms of philosophy and spirituality over the years, Jo Beth was always quiet amazed and surprised to hear her Dad had learned all this without reading even one book about it, but from simply living and working on the land. She loved hearing his stories and observations as they went on their walks together. As the both observed the changing landscape and culture of the countryside, they noted that the understanding that people who walked and worked on the land in a simple way were fading with time into the distance; she wanted to capture the voice of a lost agricultural generation and glean some of the simple gems we may have now lost in the fray of modernity.
She recorded Bill in his front room in East Sussex over 4 days, asking him a heap of questions and hearing his reflections all the way from childhood to the current day. Over the next 6 years she continued to film scenes in nature from her then home in the West of Ireland and back in East Sussex with her Dad. Sometimes grabbing a moment on her phone and sometimes on her old Cannon Camera.
What happened during those six years was to change the course of the project. Jo Beth herself came to faith in 2023 and had a realisation that her Dad's experience on the land was not only pointing towards the wisdom and healing to be found in nature but also towards a loving God who created it.
Hence the title 'My Father's World' was taken from a hymn by Rev. Maltbie Davenport Babcock put to music in 1915. On his frequent walks around the Niagra Escarpment when he lived in Lockport, New York, Rev Babcock would tell his wife Katherine he was "going out to see the Father's world"
Jo Beth thought this could not be better to describe the world of both her earthly and heavenly Father's combined!
Rifling through 4 days long days of audio to cut it to a mere 35 minutes was no small task, but My Father's World aims to be a conversation through all aspects of life and how nature can teach us so much about how to live a balanced and connected life now.
Whatever your ideas about nature or spirituality, this film is an opportunity to take a slow paced walk through the seasons with one of the best guides; one who has walked the land with solitary intention before too much technology took over.
The film was supported by Jo Beth's patrons on Patreon and Kofi supporters. She will be releasing it on YouTube to be made available for free to anyone who wishes to enjoy it.
Musically, she improvised the score in her parents front room on piano and harmonium and some parts in the
woodlands in Firle her Dad worked in.
This page will be updated as the film is released and the soundtrack will also be made available.
If you'd like to know anymore you can contact Jo Beth at [email protected]
Having herself avidly studded many forms of philosophy and spirituality over the years, Jo Beth was always quiet amazed and surprised to hear her Dad had learned all this without reading even one book about it, but from simply living and working on the land. She loved hearing his stories and observations as they went on their walks together. As the both observed the changing landscape and culture of the countryside, they noted that the understanding that people who walked and worked on the land in a simple way were fading with time into the distance; she wanted to capture the voice of a lost agricultural generation and glean some of the simple gems we may have now lost in the fray of modernity.
She recorded Bill in his front room in East Sussex over 4 days, asking him a heap of questions and hearing his reflections all the way from childhood to the current day. Over the next 6 years she continued to film scenes in nature from her then home in the West of Ireland and back in East Sussex with her Dad. Sometimes grabbing a moment on her phone and sometimes on her old Cannon Camera.
What happened during those six years was to change the course of the project. Jo Beth herself came to faith in 2023 and had a realisation that her Dad's experience on the land was not only pointing towards the wisdom and healing to be found in nature but also towards a loving God who created it.
Hence the title 'My Father's World' was taken from a hymn by Rev. Maltbie Davenport Babcock put to music in 1915. On his frequent walks around the Niagra Escarpment when he lived in Lockport, New York, Rev Babcock would tell his wife Katherine he was "going out to see the Father's world"
Jo Beth thought this could not be better to describe the world of both her earthly and heavenly Father's combined!
Rifling through 4 days long days of audio to cut it to a mere 35 minutes was no small task, but My Father's World aims to be a conversation through all aspects of life and how nature can teach us so much about how to live a balanced and connected life now.
Whatever your ideas about nature or spirituality, this film is an opportunity to take a slow paced walk through the seasons with one of the best guides; one who has walked the land with solitary intention before too much technology took over.
The film was supported by Jo Beth's patrons on Patreon and Kofi supporters. She will be releasing it on YouTube to be made available for free to anyone who wishes to enjoy it.
Musically, she improvised the score in her parents front room on piano and harmonium and some parts in the
woodlands in Firle her Dad worked in.
This page will be updated as the film is released and the soundtrack will also be made available.
If you'd like to know anymore you can contact Jo Beth at [email protected]
Credits:
Featuring Bill Young
Filmed, Edited and Produced by Jo Beth Young
End credit filming by Doug Young
Original Music by Jo Beth Young
Footage is from Firle Estate, Chailey and Arlington in East Sussex UK
and The Burren National Park in County Clare and Galway Ireland
plus other various locations in County Clare and Galway.
A Quiet Light Production ©jobethyoung and ©billyoung 2026
Featuring Bill Young
Filmed, Edited and Produced by Jo Beth Young
End credit filming by Doug Young
Original Music by Jo Beth Young
Footage is from Firle Estate, Chailey and Arlington in East Sussex UK
and The Burren National Park in County Clare and Galway Ireland
plus other various locations in County Clare and Galway.
A Quiet Light Production ©jobethyoung and ©billyoung 2026
