On The Sea

Synopsis

Set within a close-knit, rural coastal community in North Wales, Jack has spent over half his life married to Maggie while working methodically as a hand raker on the local mussel beds alongside his younger brother, Dyfan. Jack has always quietly assumed that his teenage son, Tom, would eventually carry on the multigenerational family business upon leaving school, but Tom's stubborn resistance to a life at sea creates building emotional tension within the household. The delicate status quo of Jack's traditional, church-going life is thrown into complete chaos by the arrival of Daniel, a charismatic and confident itinerant deckhand searching for summer work. As a powerful, slow-burn attraction sparks between the two men, Jack is forced to confront long-suppressed desires and navigate an impossible domestic dilemma. Written and directed by novelist Helen Walsh, this sensitive and sensual LGBTQ+ drama offers a poignant, visually striking exploration of masculinity, community tradition, and the agonizing personal cost of living an authentic life.