Mark Barrow - Filmmaker, Beneath British Waters
Mark Barrow has spent three decades beneath the surface, capturing what we can't see, documenting the hidden world beneath our rivers - the extraordinary freshwater fish, the intricate ecosystems, the life that persists despite pollution and degradation.
For The River Summit & Festival 2026, Mark is creating "The Kingdom Beneath The Current" - a film commissioned exclusively for our event.
“My advocacy for rivers has always centred on education, particularly illuminating the extraordinary life that exists beneath the surface. Through film, I strive to transport audiences into this hidden underwater world, fostering both understanding and connection. While much of my work necessarily documents the harsh realities of pollution and environmental degradation, it is the resilience of the life that endures these conditions that compels me to continue.”
“When one enters a river and it accepts you, you do not merely step into the current—you become part of its flow, part of something singular, magical, and unrepeatable. Rivers are not simply bodies of water; they are living entities, dynamic and irreplaceable. This philosophy lies at the heart of The Kingdom Beneath The Current.”
Be a 'River Detective' with Mike Blackmore
Reading the clues rivers leave behind
Join Mike Blackmore for a hands-on investigation into damaged waterways. Working like detectives at a crime scene, we'll examine physical evidence - eroded banks, unusual sediment, changed flow patterns, vegetation loss - to piece together what happened to degrade a river system.
Learn to read the landscape's story: Was it agricultural runoff? Urban development? Channel modification? Each damaged river leaves telltale signs for those who know how to look.
More importantly, discover how understanding the damage points to solutions. When you can diagnose the problem from physical clues, you can design the cure.
Perfect for: Citizen scientists, river groups, anyone curious about what rivers are trying to tell us
What you'll gain: The skills to assess river health wherever you are, and the knowledge to advocate for targeted restoration