Entertainment / ‘We never expected it’ – how an otter turned one couple into film stars
Billy and Susan Mail talk about the surprise success of documentary
BILLY and Susan Mail are getting used to being well-known faces the world over – all because a little hungry otter washed up outside their isles home.
The unwitting stars of Billy and Molly: An Otter Love Story have already been beamed to audiences across the USA – from Austin to Salt Lake City.
Now it’s the UK’s turn, with the acclaimed documentary finally screening on Disney+ from next Thursday and the National Geographic channel the following night.
The film focuses on the unique tale of how Billy came to care for a wild otter – the Molly of the title – who appears outside their house desperate for food.
It has become a massive festival success, winning three prizes at last month’s Wildscreen Panda Awards – including best production.
That’s not bad for a film that its stars, and narrators, admit they thought was not even worth filming to begin with.
“We never saw a story in it,” Susan told Shetland News.
“When they asked about it, I was quite puzzled. Otter swims by, man feeds otter – it’s not exactly a blockbuster!”
Billy said he “couldn’t see it” either when first approached by documentarian Charlie Hamilton James, the film’s director, about coming to the isles to meet them.
“He spent about a week here filming, but I had no idea who he was,” Billy said.
“It was only when he came back that someone said to us, ‘do you realise who this guy is?’.
“We realised then that he was a top National Geographic photographer.”
Even then, he said he was expecting whatever was filmed to be “a small documentary that wouldn’t be seen by many”.
“We had no idea it would grow to the level it’s grown to,” Billy added.
The film premiered at the prestigious SXSW film festival in Texas earlier this year, appearing alongside new films by Ryan Gosling, Emma Blunt and Jake Gylenhaal.
Not only were Billy and Susan beamed large for festival-goers to see, their voices form an essential part of the story – with the pair narrating the tale.
Billy said it was “scary” for them to put themselves out there.
“Most people don’t like the sound of their own voice, and we’re no different,” he said.
“Charlie was going to get it narrated by somebody else, but then he said ‘look this is your story, it would be far, far better if it comes from you two’.”
The director filmed the documentary while living in a cottage next door to Billy and Susan, rushing to the shore camera in hand whenever the call came up that Molly had arrived.
Billy said their neighbours were “quite intrigued” by suddenly have a National Geographic film-making team on their doorstep.
And Susan said they “never made a big thing about it” to anyone around them – because they did not think much would come of it.
“We could never have imagined all this,” she added.
The pair are not shy in saying they did not see Billy and Molly becoming an award-winning, audience favourite.
But they admitted their first glimpse of the film changed all of that.
“It was really interesting to see that it had become so much more interesting than I thought it was going to be,” Billy said.
“Charlie said to us that he just wanted to make something that is lovely.
“He said there’s so much bad news in the world that I just want to make a film that’s uplifting, happy, that makes folk laugh and makes folk cry.
“That’s what he achieved.”
Both Billy and Susan admit they themselves were swept up in it during their first viewing, with Billy saying they were “quite emotional”.
“It is quite an emotional film – even folk just watching the trailer will cry.”
A source of pride for the two of them – who live with their sheepdog Jade, another unexpected star of the film – is how well Shetland comes across in it.
The isles themselves are a key character in the story, with the wild weather swings and fierce winter on full display.
Susan said they were “immensely” proud of how beautiful Shetland is made to look in the feature.
“We’re so proud of how it’s captured,” she said.
“They really made the most of every opportunity, they were out there waiting for Molly coming.
“It’s no surprise they’ve got the beautiful stuff they’ve got.”
Without spoiling any of the film, viewers are taken on an emotional rollercoaster as they watch Molly transform from a shy, scared pup.
Soon the playful and care-free otter is uprooting Susan’s flowers as she rolls around the soil, and gleefully munching on any fish that Billy can supply for her.
Thankfully – especially for an “uplifting” film – Molly makes it to its conclusion, and Billy says they are still being visited by her.
“She still pops in now and then,” he said.
“When she’s pregnant or has a youngster she comes a lot.
“She rocks up, gets her fish and then goes.”
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