Category
Short Film
director
Fêt-Nat Bailly
production
National Film and Television School
country
UK
format
HD
runtime
10min 30 sec
year
2025
language
No Dialogue
genre
Children, Animation
WHEN THE TIDE COMES
View picture
WHEN THE TIDE COMES
View picture
WHEN THE TIDE COMES
View picture

Synopsis

On a quiet summer morning, an old sand creature named Sandy is enjoying the peace of the endless dunes he calls home. That peace doesn’t last long though, as a noisy flock of seagulls drops its lunch right on Sandy’s lap: a helpless baby sea turtle named Bo. At first, Sandy isn’t thrilled about the unexpected company, but soon he and Bo set off on a journey to get the little turtle back to the ocean. On the way, they will learn not only from each other, but from the wild creatures they start to interact with.

Festivals

(Selection)

  • Fantoche (2025)
  • Student Bafta - Longlist (2025)
  • "Kids Jury Award", Alcine Film Festival (2025)
  • "Best 2D Character Driven International Student Award", Los Angeles Animation Festival (2025)
  • Encounters Film Festival (2025)
  • Stuttgart Animation Festival (2025)
  • Holly Shorts (2025)
  • Premiers Plans - Angers (2025)
  • Animateka (2025)
  • BAM Kids - New York (2025)
  • Clermont - Ferrand (2026)
  • "Gold Award" Poulain Noir Competition, Fantasia International Film Festival, Canada (2026)

More info

  • Jury statement for the "Gold Award" in the Poulain Noir Competition at Fantasia International Film Festival, Canada (2026): "For the visual richness of its environment and its atmosphere, its simple but subtle and endearing character designs, the quality in its technical execution the aptness of its pace, and the beauty of its story, the jury gives the Gold Award Poulain Noir to When the Tides Comes."