A STARRY film adaptation of Raynor Winn’s best-selling memoir The Salt Path is to open at Poole’s Lighthouse arts centre as part of its national release on Friday 30th May.

The film stars Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs as Raynor and her husband Moth who, following his terminal diagnosis and the devastating loss of their home, embark on a 630-mile walking journey along the South West Coast Path from Minehead to Poole. With just £115 and a tent, they make their way through heartbreak and healing, discovering the redemptive power of nature and human resilience.

The book also explores themes around the meaning of home and grief which struck a chord with readers. The book sold more than a million copies and has inspired both a folk music tour, with Raynor joining Gigspanner to perform Saltlines, and this high profile film adaptation, much of which was made on location in Cornwall, Devon and Dorset.

As an independent cinema and the only movie screen in Poole, Lighthouse is able to programme films that speak to its audiences. “Unlike the cinema chains, we’re not tied to national release schedules so we can be more flexible with our programming,” says Ashton Corbin, the Lighthouse programming manager.

“As well as securing The Salt Path on its general release we are programming a season of classic cult movies including Blade Runner, The Terminator, The Big Lebowski and 2001: A Space Odyssey alongside the popular fortnightly morning Silver Screen showings and the monthly Dementia Friendly screenings that are a lifeline to many of the people who attend.”

The Salt Path will give audiences a chance to see many familiar coastal locations as the South West Coast Path emerges as the film’s third star, forming the backdrop to Raynor and Moth’s transformative journey. “I’m so looking forward to people seeing the film adaptation of our story,” says Raynor Winn.

“The SWCP is more than just a path, it’s a transformative landscape, both challenging and healing, and available to all of us. I’m incredibly proud to be an ambassador for the charity [the South West Coast Path Association], helping raise awareness of the support needed for the path to remain open and accessible for everyone to enjoy.”

Pictured are Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs as Raynor and Moth in the film.