Sophomore feature by The Violators' writer-director Helen Walsh. A profound and moving exploration of masculinity and desire in a remote yet savagely beautiful fishing community.
Jack has been married to Maggie for over half his life. He works as a Hand Raker on the mussel beds in North Wales alongside his younger brother, Dyfan, and Dyfan’s three sons. Jack has always assumed that his own boy, Tom, will join the family business on leaving school but Tom’s resistance to follow in his footsteps creates familial tension. Tensions are further inflamed by the arrival of an itinerant deckhand, Daniel, who makes known his feelings for Jack. In this remote, rural community where life revolves around Church and fishery, Jack is faced with an impossible dilemma. On The Sea is a beautiful, sensual and at times, tragic exploration of masculinity, place and desire.
Starring: Barry Ward, Lorne MacFadyen, Liz White, Henry Lawfull, Celyn Jones, Danny Webb.
Written and Directed by Helen Walsh. Produced by David A Hughes and David Moores. Executive Producers - Chris Clark, Mike Goodridge. Co-Producer - Billie Hughes. Director of Photography - Sam Goldie. Editor - Ricardo Saraiva. Music - Felix Rösch. Casting - Alex Johnson.
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“Combines astute observational writing with powerful performances and evocative cinematography to create a low key yet vivid portrait of a man coming to terms with himself”
“Frank, sensitive and shot through with genuine feeling”
“A heightened natural soundscape emphasises the dichotomy between windswept isolation and claustrophobic intimacy”
- Screen
“A Stirring, Windblown Romance”
“assured, even-keeled storytelling.”
“On the Sea” finds poignancy in complication and compromise rather than easy, empowering short cuts to a happy ending”
- Variety
“Helen Walsh's On The Sea is a masterclass in powerful storytelling”
“stellar performances from Ward and MacFadyen, actors who share some of that same intensity and gravity that make Barry Keoghan such a draw”
“powerful and absorbing film”
- The Herald
“Like a slow-burning fuse Helen Walsh’s second feature finds its strength in the subtlety of the writing and the power of the understated performances, in particular the central duo of Barry Ward and Lorne MacFadyen.”
“the film has an atmospheric sense of place”
“the film finds a note of hope and optimism and demonstrates how a good deal of compassion and understanding can emerge from the confrontation of someone’s worst fears.”
- Eye For Film
“the extremes of emotion, self-discovery, and vulnerability make On the Sea epic in scale and impact”
“Ward's and MacFadyen's performances leave no room for ambiguity in the all-consuming power of their physical and emotional attraction.”
- Movies We Texted About
“Both Ward and MacFayden are exceptional, delivering performances loaded with nuanced, intelligent intricacies in body language and facial expression, making the chemistry and attraction between their characters intriguingly tangible from their very first interaction, right through to their last.”
“the film’s dedication to raw realism in all its loving, bittersweet brutality.”
“This gorgeous, emotive addition to modern British queer cinema is a reminder of everything cinema and storytelling can and should be.”
- RHG Reviews
EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2025 - Nominated for the Sean Connery Prize for Feature Filmmaking Excellence
