Following their success with The Secret of Kells, the reputation of Kilkenny’s Cartoon Saloon went from strength to strength with the release of this animation. The studio’s increasingly recognisable style acquires new depth, drawing on the traditional selkie myth and music of Kíla.

When Ben and Saoirse are sent to live with their Granny in the city, they quickly feel the pull back to their family home by the sea. Their journey becomes a race against time as they are drawn into a world Ben recalls from his mother’s folktales, filled with fairies and spirit folk who want to be free. It soon becomes clear to Ben that Saoirse, who can turn into a seal, is the key to their survival. 

An introduction from director Tomm Moore plays just before the screening.