Shouting at the Sea
Drama, 2024
Shouting at the Sea is about unfinished conversations and a love that was never spoken out loud. After years apart, Joe and Katherine reunite in the seaside town where they grew up. As they reconnect, they share who they’ve become and finally confront the moment that tore them apart.
Starring Harry Michell, Maddie Rice and Daisy Haggard.
Director's Statement
Shouting at the Sea is a story of friendship, loss, and the search for closure, inspired by my experience growing up in Hastings. The town is a character in itself, with its empty beaches and shuttered amusements - filled with faded grandeur and echoes of a more prosperous past. Beyond the bustling tourist seasons, Hastings reveals a quieter, more reflective identity that has influenced my storytelling.
Joe and Katherine are two old friends who reconnect after years apart. Joe stayed in Hastings, tied to the town’s familiar rhythm, while Katherine left in search of something more. Their reunion explores the tension between staying and the desire to escape, and how those choices shape who we become. Joe and Katherine serve as dual forces in the narrative, with opposing responses to their upbringing and environment.
Visually, the film traces their emotional journey through shifting light, from the brighter, livelier moments of the morning to the softer, more contemplative light of evening. Vintage lenses give a timeless, textured quality that echoes the faded elegance of Hastings, while handheld camera work brings the audience closer to the characters, emphasising the intimacy of their conversations and the raw, subtle emotions they experience.
The steady presence of The Sea’s narration contrasts with the fragile, fleeting nature of human connection. Shouting at the Sea is about the art of letting go - finding peace with the things we cannot change and recognising the moments that matter. The film invites audiences to reflect on their own friendships, the people who come in and out of their lives, and the times they’ve felt like they were shouting into the void.
