Martin Eden

Jay Craven’s new independent narrative feature film, “Jack London’s Martin Eden,” will play a special Middlebury Town Hall Theater date, 7pm, Sunday, July 31^st.  Director Craven will introduce the screening and lead post-film discussion.

“Jack London’s Martin Eden” received its world premiere at the Nantucket Film Festival in June 2021 and has won Best Film and Best Director awards at the Boston Film Festival and Best Narrative Feature at the Arlington International Film Festival.  Other festival dates include The Woods Hole Film Festival St. Louis International Film Festival, Sonoma International Film Festival, Berkshire International Film Festival and a special screening at the biennial symposium for Jack London scholars. 

The film is based on Jack London’s autobiographical novel, “Martin Eden.”  Set in 1909, it tells the story of a poor and unschooled sailor who unexpectedly meets Ruth Morse, a magnetic young woman of means and education. Their unconventional attraction upends both lives and propels timely themes of impossible love, dogged individualism in pursuit of the American Dream, and the quest for a comfortable place in an inconstant world.  

Jack London was America’s most popular writer at the turn of the 20^th century, having written stories including “Call of the Wild” and “White Fang.” His novel, “Martin Eden,” inspired Ernest Hemingway, Susan Sontag and Upton Sinclair, among others.  Italian filmmaker Pietro Marcello recently made another adaptation of the story that has been well received.  “We were surprised to see an Italian version being made simultaneously,” Craven noted. “Although I like Marcello’s stylistic approach and it gives audiences a chance to compare notes on both films and dig deeper into the story and it’s cultural context.”