Ken Smith spent four decades living in a log cabin in the Scottish Highlands; a filmmaker’s patient visits eventually brought his secluded world to the screen

Ken Smith chose a life far removed from roads, electricity and the routines of modern society. For almost 40 years, he lived alone in a handmade log cabin beside Loch Treig in the Scottish Highlands, relying on fishing, foraging, growing vegetables and chopping his own firewood, as per a report by the BBC and BFI.

His secluded existence eventually caught the attention of filmmaker Lizzie MacKenzie, who first met him while working at a remote restaurant. Years of friendship came before the camera, allowing MacKenzie to gradually earn Ken’s trust and understand the man behind the unusual lifestyle.