Saltcoats - A queer fable
THE STORy
Teenager Florrie struggles to come out to her father. Whilst holding down a summer job as a lifeguard at the local leisure centre she embarks upon a strange and frightening journey of self-discovery when she discovers an otherworldly – and very naked – woman swimming in the pool.
Mesmerised, Florrie realises that she’s come across a Selkie, the mythical seal-woman hybrid of Scottish folklore, who has shed her sealskin coat to come ashore.
As repressed desires come bubbling to the surface, Florrie chooses to hide the coat to keep the Selkie from leaving – but when the watery creature starts to haunt her, she realises she’s unleashed a force she can’t suppress.
Grappling with the consequences of her choice, Florrie will be forced to confront the beast beneath her own skin...
MIRANDA HORN - WRITER’s Statement
The inspiration for Saltcoats came whilst swimming with my ex-boyfriend…
Cycle forward four years and Florrie’s tale of embracing your demons has shape-shifted as much as my own sexual identity over that time.
Having come out in 2020 (how pandemic can you get,) Saltcoats’ world of oil-dripping, slime-slipping, iridescent Selkies has been an escape and a way for me to express and process the contradictory nature of identity. Saltcoats asks what it means to embrace your difference, and the subsequent search for acceptance and understanding from those you love.
I am overwhelmed with excitement that this incredible team is bringing Saltcoats to life, and I’m also pretty buzzing to have something to show for “that lesbian mermaid film” I’ve been banging on about for half a decade
Sarah Shaw
Make-up Designer
Sarah Shaw is a London based artist with over 7 years experience in Makeup expanding over various media including fashion editorial, film and television.
Her strong interest in fine art influences many of her character creations, taking on abstract themes and exploring art as therapy. Sarah's aim as a makeup artist is to challenge beauty ideals and create a unique visual impact that is convincing and engaging for the audience.
Miranda Horn
Writer/Producer./Actor
Her first short film Confessional premiered at BAFTA qualifying Underwire Festival as well as making the official selection for: Hong Kong Lesbian and Gay Film Festival; Margate Against the Tide Festival; and Montreal LGBTQ Film Festival. She was recently part of the March BFI talent mixer, and her poetry @thirstypoems was published this year in @TheRromp magazine.
As an actor Miranda has appeared in West End, Olivier-nominated, and leading regional theatre, as well as numerous short and independent films on the festival circuit. Her family hail from Scotland, an influence that bears heavily on her writing.
Zeta Spyraki
Director of Photography
Zeta, originally from Patras, Greece, is a London and Patras-based filmmaker. Her work has shown at a number of BAFTA qualifying festivals both in Greece and internationally.
Zeta was nominated for the PANALUX 2017 Cinematography award for her work in Towards The Sun and her work in My Other Suit Is Human was awarded Best Cinematography award. Zeta was also the DOP in short film Career Path which won the International Grand Award in Mobile Film Festival 2020, and her short film Olive-Oil was a 2019 Nespresso Talents Runner Up.
Aside from these accolades, Zeta's work on both feature and short films has shown at numerous festivals worldwide including Palm Springs, Edinburgh, Cannes, Sarajevo, and Locarno. Since January 2020 she has also been a part-time Lecturer in Directing and Cinematography for Lincoln University.