In spite of the Hunting Act deeming fox hunting illegal in 2005, Denise Ward (writer & producer) is one of many whose peaceful countryside existence is frequently disturbed by the frenzy of hounds chasing wildlife. Filmed 6 years after the Hunting Act was passed, A Minority Pastime captures tense on-the-ground encounters between Huntsmasters, their hounds & supporters, and the countryside residents whose land and precious animals fall foul of the Hunt, with monitor groups subjected to verbal and physical abuse as they attempt to record evidence of this hidden and ignored activity. Denise’s investigations raise poignant questions about the morality of this minority pastime, and indeed in the light of its illegal status, questions about how the ban could be properly enforced.
