True North

True North

Year: 2006

Runtime: 96 mins

Language: English

Director: Steve Hudson

Drama

The crew of a bankrupt Scottish trawler turn to smuggling illegal immigrants over the stormy waters of the North Sea.

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Timeline & Setting – True North (2006)

Explore the full timeline and setting of True North (2006). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

The events unfold in a contemporary maritime setting, with modern port operations and the logistics of cross-border smuggling shaping the decisions on board. The voyage follows a few tense days from departure to the crew’s return, with moral choices unfolding along the timeline.

Location

Ostend, Belgium, Peterhead, Scotland

True North moves between Ostend, Belgium and Peterhead, Scotland, two contrasting European ports. Ostend is depicted as a busy harbor where the voyage begins and clandestine deals unfold at night docks. Peterhead provides a stark, wind-swept setting for the ship's return and the film's somber consequences in a remote fishing town.

🚢 Port town 🌊 Maritime setting 🗺️ European cross-border trade

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:24

Main Characters – True North (2006)

Meet the key characters of True North (2006), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Riley (Peter Mullan)

A pragmatic crew member whose sense of responsibility drives him to confess the illicit plan and face the consequences. He remains a steady presence on board, navigating loyalty to Seán and the rest of the crew while contending with the ship’s deteriorating ethics. His actions reveal a quiet, protective resolve and a willingness to confront difficult truths.

🤝 Loyalty ⚖️ Morality 🧭 Conflict

Sean (Sean) (Martin Compston)

The Skipper’s indebted son and a crew member who becomes entangled in the smuggling scheme to ease financial pressure. He reluctantly accepts the money to smuggle the refugees, driven by financial strain and concern for his family’s future. His arc traces a reluctant path from desperation toward the question of responsibility for the consequences.

💸 Debt ⚖️ Moral dilemma 🧭 Decision

Skipper (Gary Lewis)

Captain of the Providence, burdened by mounting debt and the bank’s pressure. He contemplates drastic action to save the boat and his livelihood, ultimately drowning the immigrants—an act that embodies the film’s darkest ethical breach. His authority collapses under the weight of financial and legal peril.

💔 Desperation ⚓️ Authority 🕳️ Downfall

Pol (Hark Bohm)

A local smuggler who offers a large sum to Seán for transporting a group of Chinese immigrants. He embodies the lure of easy money and the international reach of trafficking networks. Pol’s role triggers the moral crisis at the heart of the voyage.

💰 Manipulation 🕵️ Smuggling 🌍 Cross-border crime

Su Li (Angel Li)

A 12-year-old Chinese refugee who hides on board, stealing food and surviving in the ship’s shadowy world. Her presence exposes the vulnerability of the migrants and the humans responsible for their transport. The finale places her at the bus stop, carrying the money that arrived with the voyage.

🧒 Innocence 🧭 Survival 💼 Hidden fortune

Koch (Steven Robertson)

The ship’s cook who discovers Su Li but chooses to keep her presence secret. He ultimately acts to protect those on board, participating in the grim confrontation that ends with the Skipper’s death. His silent, protective stance challenges the crew’s moral compass.

🗡️ Violence 🛡️ Protection 🤫 Silence

Snakehead (Ming Shi)

A ruthless smuggler who orchestrates the plan to bring Chinese immigrants into the UK, representing the international criminal network behind human trafficking. He embodies the origin of the film’s central ethical crisis from outside the ship’s crew.

🚨 Smuggling 🌍 Transnational crime 🧭 Exploitation

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:24

Major Themes – True North (2006)

Explore the central themes of True North (2006), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

⚓️ Moral Dilemma

Desperation and loyalty clash as the crew weighs smuggling Chinese immigrants for a payoff against their legal and ethical duties. The decision to proceed tests personal responsibility and the boundaries of right and wrong. The claustrophobic hold and deteriorating conditions heighten the moral stakes facing each character.

🌊 Desperation

Debt and economic pressure push Seán and the Skipper toward dangerous risk, threatening the boat, crew, and future livelihoods. Repeated empty nets underscore the fragility of their livelihood and the lure of a larger reward. The narrative shows how survival instincts can override ethical considerations at sea.

🕯️ Loyalty

Riley and Seán navigate competing loyalties—protecting the crew and the vulnerable on board while pursuing what’s best for their own survival. The Skipper’s authority is tested as he balances legality with the ship’s survival. The cook’s protective impulse toward Su Li adds a human complicating layer to the ship’s hierarchy.

💔 Consequences

Tragedy erupts as immigrants die in the hold and the Skipper ultimately drowns them, illustrating the brutal costs of the voyage. The cook’s act of killing the Skipper constitutes a harsh reckoning among the crew. The ending, with Riley and Su Li at a bus stop and a hidden bag of money, signals the unsettled aftermath and the transfer of wealth born from crime.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:24

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True North Summary

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True North Summary

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True North Timeline

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More About True North

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